Abstract
The effect of allopurinol on the metabolism of pro benecid was evaluated in patients for two reasons: allopurinol was re ported to inhibit drug metabolism, and combined therapy (allopurinol and probenecid) is occasionally employed in the treatment of gout. Metabolism of probenecid was estimated by the determination of probenecid plasma level decay (T½). ln 8 of 14 subjects, a prolongation of T½ was found during concurrent allopurinol treatment. Allopurinol isboth a substrate and an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase and thus it can inhibit its own metabolism. It had also been shown that probenecid influences the fate of alloxanthine, the major metabolite of allopurinol. The present studies illustrate an additional complex feature of interactions between allopurinol and probenecid in man.