Benzbromarone

Benzbromarone (INN) is a uricosuric agent used in the treatment of gout, especially when allopurinol, a first-line treatment, fails or produces intolerable adverse effects. It is structurally related to the antiarrhythmic amiodarone.

Benzbromarone is highly effective and well-tolerated,   and clinical trials as early as 1981 and as recently as April 2008 have suggested it is superior to both allopurinol and probenecid, another uricosuric drug.

Effect on cytochrome P450
Benzbromarone is a very potent inhibitor of CYP2C9. Several analogues of the drug have been developed as CYP2C9 and CYP2C19 inhibitors for use in research.

Safety
Benzbromarone was introduced in the 1970s and was viewed as having few associated serious adverse reactions. It was registered in about 20 countries throughout Europe, Asia and South America.

In 2003, the drug was withdrawn by Sanofi-Synthélabo, after reports of serious hepatotoxicity, although it is still marketed in several countries by other drug companies.