E2020, a central-acting cholinesterase inhibitor, is now under clinical development as a potential therapeutic agent for senile dementia of Alzheimer type. In the current study, the authors compared the pharmacokinetics of this drug after single oral administration in 12 healthy young volunteers (20-27 years of age) and 6 elderly volunteers (65-82 years of age). The subjects received a single 2-mg oral dose of E2020 after a meal. Blood samples for determination of the drug level were collected over 168 hours after drug administration and were measured by specific high-pressure liquid chromatography methods with ultraviolet detection. E2020 was generally well tolerated by all subjects of both groups. The plasma elimination half-life of the beta-phase (t 1/2 beta) and time to maximum peak plasma concentration (tmax) were significantly longer in the elderly than in the young: t 1/2 beta, 103.8 +/- 40.6 versus 59.7 +/- 16.1 hours; and tmax, 5.2 +/- 2.8 versus 3.4 +/- 1.5 hours, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in maximum peak plasma concentration and area under the curve between the two groups. The mean (+/- standard deviation) oral clearance (Cl/F) in the elderly (9.1 +/- 2.4 L/h) was similar to that in the young (10.6 +/- 2.7 L/h). The volume of distribution in the steady state (Vdss/F) was significantly larger in the elderly than that in the young: 1217.2 +/- 223.2 versus 852.5 +/- 147.7 L, respectively. These results suggested that the drug was absorbed more slowly and distributed more widely and thoroughly, but that its clearance from the body is essentially unaffected by age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1 The effects of two assay methods, HPLC and EIA, on theophylline plasma levels (n = 254) and pharmacokinetics (n = 6) were examined on blood samples obtained from asthmatic patients and normal adult male volunteers. 2 The standard curves obtained and the plasma level values during plasma level monitoring of theophylline measured with two methods are well correlated each other within concentration range of 2.5 to 20.0 microgram/ml (P less than 0.001). EIA, however in general, appears to give a lower value than HPLC. 3 The values of plasma theophylline half‐life and clearance analyzed using a two‐compartment open system model were found different between the two assay methods and dissimilar to those previously reported by using ultraviolet method. 4 The sampling end‐point and/or assay sensitivity particularly to measure a lower level of theophylline (less than 2.5 microgram/ml) can influence the pharmacokinetics for a potent bronchodilator with a narrow therapeutic margin, theophylline.

The mass spectral characterization of nine kinds of estrogen glucuronides was investigated. The glucuronides were analysed after conversion to n-propyl ester-O-TMS ether derivatives by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The fragmentation of these derivatives is discussed using deuterium labels and TMS-d9 imidazole. A clear-cut difference was found between aliphatic and aromatic glucuronic acid conjugates. In particular the [M - 362]+- fragment ion was characteristic in the mass spectra of estrogen 3-glucuronides. On the other hand, four isomers of estriol and 16-epiestriol glucuronides containing an aliphatic acetal linkage were also characterized by the fragment ions of m/e value 204, 345, 415, and 431 and their relative intensities. Thus, all nine estrogen glucuronides were discriminated mass spectrometrically.

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