Effects of the HIV treatment drugs nevirapine and efavirenz on brain creatine kinase activity

Metab Brain Dis. 2008 Dec;23(4):485-92. doi: 10.1007/s11011-008-9109-2. Epub 2008 Sep 24.

Abstract

Nevirapine (NVP) and efavirenz (EFV) are antiretroviral drugs belonging to potent class of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) widely used for the treatment human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It has been demonstrated that NVP and EFV are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and arrive at the central nervous system (CNS), causing important adverse effects related to their presence within this tissue. Considering that the exact mechanisms responsible for CNS toxicity associated with NVP and EFV remain unknown and that creatine kinase (CK) plays an important role in cell energy homeostasis, in the present work we evaluated CK activity in brain of mice after chronic administration of these drugs. Our results demonstrated that NVP and EFV significantly inhibited CK activity in cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum and cortex of mice. Although it is difficult to extrapolate our findings to the human condition, the inhibition of brain CK activity by NVP and EFV may be associated with neurological adverse symptoms of these drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkynes
  • Animals
  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology*
  • Benzoxazines / pharmacology*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / enzymology*
  • Cerebellum / drug effects
  • Cerebellum / enzymology
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / enzymology
  • Creatine Kinase / drug effects*
  • Creatine Kinase / metabolism
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / enzymology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neostriatum / drug effects
  • Neostriatum / enzymology
  • Nevirapine / pharmacology*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / pharmacology

Substances

  • Alkynes
  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Benzoxazines
  • Cyclopropanes
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Nevirapine
  • Creatine Kinase
  • efavirenz