I notice most post that they are on the rifampin, yet I was put on rifabutin. It is horrible and I don't think I can stay on it. Would the rifampin be any easier in side effects? I also take azithro. and ethambutol. Thanks.
What is the difference between rifampin and rifabutin?
Question posted by csax on 19 March 2012
Last updated on 26 April 2018 by Elaine kelsoe
4 Answers
Elaine kelsoe
26 April 2018
I was given Rifabutin for MAC. I too saw that most were given rifampin. I don’t know why either, but I know that I had successful results. I’ve been free of the big 3 drugs for 18 months.
gayleanna
16 July 2014
I was on rifampin and my Dr. switched me to rifabutin. If you think the side effects of the rifabutin are horrible rifampins are even worse. I felt absolutely awful on the rifampin. I didn't even feel like I was in this world. Try taking the rifabutin at night before you go to bed. That's what my Dr suggested to me and it works, I don't get as bad effects with it now.
suzanne66
20 March 2012
Rifabutin and Rifampin are both rifamycin antibiotics. Rifabutin is newer and is used to prevent MAC (mycobacterium avium complex) and tuberculosis in immunodeficient patients with HIV. Rifampin is used to treat or prevent tuberculosis (TB).
wd bakheet
19 March 2012
Rifabutin is effective in the treatment and prevention of Mycobacterium avium infection in people with HIV infection. Rifabutin is structurally related to another rifamycin, rifampin, a well-known inducer of the human P-450 isoform 3A. The rabbit isoform CYP3A6 and the human isoform CYP3A4 have similar P-450 predominance and substrate specificity and are both induced by rifampin. Our goal was to predict the CYP3A induction capacity of rifabutin and to determine if ex vivo CYP3A induction potential of rifamycins is predictive of that obtained in vivo. We determined the in vivo and ex vivo CYP3A6 induction by 4 days of treatment with rifabutin (100 mg/kg), rifampin (100 mg/kg), or vehicle (DMSO) in the rabbit. The ex vivo measures were CYP3A6 activity (N-demethylation of erythromycin and hydroxylation of triazolam) and CYP3A content in rabbit hepatic microsomes preparations.
The in vivo measures were oral clearance of triazolam and its formation clearance to its hydroxylated metabolites, α-hydroxytriazolam and 4-hydroxytriazolam. Rifampin increased CYP3A6 activity by 2- to 3-fold in hepatic microsomes compared to vehicle. Rifabutin increased CYP3A content 1.7-fold, but did not significantly increase microsomal CYP3A6 activity. Oral triazolam clearance and formation clearances to the two hydroxylated metabolites were 2- to 3-fold greater in rabbits treated with rifampin. These clearances were unaffected by rifabutin administration. Ex vivo enzyme activities correlated with in vivo changes in clearance of triazolam and the formation clearance to its hydroxylated metabolites. Rifabutin is a weaker inducer of CYP3A6 than rifampin. These data suggest that ex vivo enzyme activity is a viable approach to predict in vivo inductive potential of CYP3A inducer .
Related topics
mycobacterium avium-intracellulare - treatment, rifabutin, rifampin, side effect
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