Probenecid is a uricosuric drug, primarily used in treating gout or hyperuricemia, that increases uric acid removal in the urine.

Probenecid also decreases the renal excretion of some drugs.

In one study, probenecid was shown to more than double a patient's exposure to oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu), an antiviral drug used to combat influenza. This is significant because nations are currently stockpiling oseltamivir in anticipation of an influenza pandemic, and the drug is in short supply. During World War II, probenecid was used to extend limited supplies of penicillin, and is still currently used to increase antibiotic concentrations in serious infections. It has also found use as a masking agent by athletes attempting to get away with using performance enhancing drugs.

In the kidneys it is filtered at the glomerulus, secreted in the proximal tubule and reabsorbed in the distal tubule.

Probenecid's exact mechanism of action in the kidneys' nephrons is unknown.

References

• Probenecid pharmacology from McGill University
• Butler D. Wartime tactic doubles power of scarce bird-flu drug article. Nature 2005;438(7064):6. (Accessed on November 2, 2005, at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v438/n7064/full/438006a.html)

See also

• Gout

Probenecid