Marcus D L, Nadel H, Lew G, Freedman M L
Department of Medicine, NYU Medical Center, New York 10016.
Am J Med Sci. 1990 Oct;300(4):214-7. doi: 10.1097/00000441-199010000-00003.
The ability of cimetidine to reduce the activity of hepatic aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALA-S) was examined in allylisopropyl acetamide (AIA) treated porphyric adult rats. A dose of 20 mg cimetidine/100 gm body weight resulted in a 50% decrease in the AIA-induced hepatic ALA-S activity compared to rats treated with AIA alone. Heme oxygenase activity was decreased 25% compared to rats treated with AIA alone. The effects of AIA and cimetidine on cytochrome P-450 were not additive, suggesting competition for a common site of interaction. The results suggest that cimetidine may prove to be useful in treating porphyria in humans.
