Paper II
2023 July (Supplementary) (2010 Scheme)

Question

Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) with Isoniazid (INH) in Antitubercular therapy.

Q81 marksShort Answers

Answer

Isoniazid interferes with pyridoxine (vitamin B6) metabolism — it structurally competes with pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme reactions and increases pyridoxine’s renal excretion, producing a functional B6 deficiency that manifests as peripheral neuropathy. Co-administering pyridoxine replenishes this deficit and prevents the neuropathy, without reducing isoniazid’s own antitubercular effect — particularly important in patients at higher baseline neuropathy risk (malnourished patients, pregnancy, diabetics, alcoholics).

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