Carbamazepine is known to induce which set of metabolic enzymes?

Carbamazepine is known to induce which set of metabolic enzymes?

• A. None
• B. CYP2C9 and CYP2C19
• C. CYP2E1
• D. CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and UGT1A4

Answer: (D)

Carbamazepine is a potent inducer of hepatic drug‑metabolizing enzymes. When a drug induces these enzymes, it ramps up their production, speeding up the metabolism of many coadministered medications and often lowering their blood levels. This also includes autoinduction, where carbamazepine increases its own metabolism over time, sometimes requiring dose adjustments. The major enzyme families affected include CYP3A4, which handles a large share of drug metabolism, and it also upregulates other enzymes such as CYP1A2 and the phase II conjugating enzyme UGT1A4. There is evidence it can induce CYP2D6 as well. Because of this broad induction profile, the set of enzymes most characteristic of carbamazepine’s induction includes CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and UGT1A4, making that option the best match. The other options don’t fit as well because carbamazepine clearly induces enzymes (so “none” is incorrect), and it does not consistently promote only CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 or primarily target CYP2E1.

Carbamazepine is a potent inducer of hepatic drug‑metabolizing enzymes. When a drug induces these enzymes, it ramps up their production, speeding up the metabolism of many coadministered medications and often lowering their blood levels. This also includes autoinduction, where carbamazepine increases its own metabolism over time, sometimes requiring dose adjustments.

The major enzyme families affected include CYP3A4, which handles a large share of drug metabolism, and it also upregulates other enzymes such as CYP1A2 and the phase II conjugating enzyme UGT1A4. There is evidence it can induce CYP2D6 as well. Because of this broad induction profile, the set of enzymes most characteristic of carbamazepine’s induction includes CYP3A4, CYP1A2, CYP2D6, and UGT1A4, making that option the best match.

The other options don’t fit as well because carbamazepine clearly induces enzymes (so “none” is incorrect), and it does not consistently promote only CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 or primarily target CYP2E1.