echinacea angustifolia/protease

Because of its CYP3A4 inducer activity in the liver but its inhibitor effect at the intestinal site, concomitant administration of Equinacea purpurea (a medicinal herb frequently used by HIV-infected patients) and etravirine (an HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitor) might result in clinically

15 patients on antiretroviral therapy with darunavir/ritonavir 600/100 mg twice a day during four weeks will be recruited. The patients will receive treatment with Echinacea purpurea for 14 days, 500 mg every 6 hours. A 12 hour pharmacokinetic curve will be obtained at baseline and on day 14.

Patients with HIV commonly use herbal products and dietary supplements in addition to medications prescribed by their physicians. Up to 73% of patients with HIV have reported using some form of complementary or alternative medicine. As such, the potential for clinically significant drug interactions