hepatic microsomal enzyme inducing substances

Last reviewed 01/2018

Drugs which induce hepatic enzymes may have the following effects:

  • they may decrease the bioavailability of other drugs which are metabolised by those enzymes
  • they may increase the bioavailability of drugs which require metabolism for their activation

Examples include:

  • long term alcohol abuse
  • rifampicin
  • anticonvulsants, particularly phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbitone and primidone
  • spironolactone
  • griseofulvin