SummaryThe present trial was designed to comparatively investigate the pharmacokinetic profile and evaluate the apparent bioavailability pattern of three already marketed low molecular mass heparins (LMMHs): dalteparin (Fragmin®), nadroparin (Fraxiparin®), and enoxaparin (Love- nox®) given by subcutaneous route. The study was carried out in 20 healthy young volunteers given, according to a cross over design, a single subcutaneous injection of the doses recommended for the prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (commercial preparations, prefilled syringes): dalteparin 2,500 IU (= 2,500 IU anti-Xa), nadroparin 7,500 ICU (= 3,075 IU anti-Xa), enoxaparin 20 mg (= 2,000 IU anti-Xa) and enoxaparin 40 mg (= 4,000 IU anti-Xa). Of the markers used, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin clotting time (TCT), Heptest®, anti-thrombin (aIIa) activity and anti-Xa (aXa) activity, the most pertinent parameter (from a biodynamic viewpoint) is plasma aXa activity. We demonstrated that dalteparin, nadroparin and enoxaparin exhibit statistically significantly different pharmacokinetic and overall disposition patterns. Normalized to the same injected dose (1,000 IU aXa), the relative actual amount of plasma anti-Xa activity generated by enoxaparin is 1.48 times greater (p < 0.001) than that of nadroparin and 2.28 times greater (p < 0.001) than that of dalteparin while the plasma amount induced by nadroparin is 1.54 times greater (p < 0.001) than that of dalteparin. The apparent total body clearance of enoxaparin doses (CL/F = 16.7 ± 5.5 and 13.8 ± 3.2 ml/min) is significantly smaller than those of nadroparin (CL/F = 21.4 ± 7.0 ml/min ; p < 0.01) and dalteparin (CL/F = 33.3 ±11.8 ml/min ; p < 0.001) while dalteparin apparent clearance is about 1.5-fold greater (p < 0.001) than that of nadroparin. These LMMHs also differ by their renal excretion pattern : more fragments exhibiting an anti-Xa activity are recovered in urine following enoxaparin doses (6.4 and 8.7 % of the dose, respectively) than following nadroparin (3.9 %) and dalteparin (3.4 %) injection. These differences in the disposition profiles explain why the apparent elimination half life t1/2 values of the LMMHs compared here are different: dalteparin: 2.8 h; nadroparin: 3.7 h; and enoxaparin: 4.1 h. Whether or not these differences may contribute to explain the different safety/efficacy balance of each of these antithrombotic medications remains to be discussed and needs further studies.

Riluzole is a novel neuroprotective agent that has been developed for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A series of studies was undertaken to establish its pharmacokinetics on single- and multiple-dose administration in young white male volunteers. The mean absolute oral bioavailability of riluzole (50-mg tablet) was approximately 60%. Maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) values were linearly related to dose for the range studied. Cmax occurred at 1.0 hour to 1.5 hours after administration. Plasma elimination half-life appeared to be independent of dose. After repeated administration of 100 mg riluzole for 10 days, some intraindividual variability in bioavailability was seen. A high-fat meal significantly reduced the rate (tmax = 2 hours compared with 0.8 hours; Cmax = 216 ng.mL-1 compared to 387 ng.mL-1) and extent of absorption (AUC = 1,047 ng.hr.mL-1 versus 1,269 ng.hr.mL-1). With multiple-dose administration, riluzole showed dose-related absorption, although the terminal plasma half-life was prolonged slightly. Steady-state plasma concentrations were achieved within 5 days. Steady-state trough plasma concentrations were significantly higher with a 75-mg dose twice daily than with a 50-mg dose three times daily, although AUC values did not differ.

Multiple-dose kinetics of pefloxacin was determined in 12 normal male subjects given 400 mg pefloxacin by iv 1 h-infusion every 12 h for 16 doses. Twelve other subjects (6 men and 6 women) were given 400 mg pefloxacin by mouth every 12 h for 18 doses. Plasma and urine concentrations of pefloxacin and its main metabolites (N-desmethyl pefloxacin or norfloxacin and pefloxacin N-oxide) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The bioavailability of pefloxacin was complete and plasma concentrations after iv or oral administration were similar. Pefloxacin was rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and reached maximum plasma concentrations about 1 h after dosing. Pefloxacin elimination (T 1/2 beta) increased from 11.00 +/- 2.64 h after the first iv dose to 13.93 +/- 3.58 h after the last iv dose (P less than 0.01). Apparent total body clearance decreased from 148.5 +/- 47.6 to 106.9 +/- 39.2 ml/min (P less than 0.01) because of decreased non-renal clearance (apparent volume of distribution did not significantly change over the repeated pefloxacin administration). Similar results were obtained after repeated oral dosing. Renal clearance of pefloxacin was low (7.47 +/- 2.28 ml/min) indicating that non-renal clearance represents the major route of elimination of this quinolone. Urinary excretion of pefloxacin and N-desmethyl and N-oxide metabolites was approximately 31% of the pefloxacin dose and beta-elimination half-lives of these metabolites were very close to that of pefloxacin (13.34 +/- 2.72 h and 11.95 +/- 2.64 h respectively). Due to a possible saturable process in the metabolic pathway, some accumulation occurred during repeated iv or oral treatment (accumulation ratio = 1.37 +/- 0.20). These results show that concentrations of pefloxacin in excess of the minimum inhibitory concentrations for many important pathogens can be rapidly achieved in plasma and urine with the 400 mg bid regimen with both iv and oral routes.

The pharmacokinetics of sparfloxacin at oral doses of 200, 400, 600, and 800 mg were studied in 12 healthy volunteers in a randomized double-blind crossover study. Each dose administration was separated by a 1-week washout period. Plasma and urine samples were collected up to 120 hours postdosing, for determination of free and total (free plus glucurono-conjugated) sparfloxacin levels by high-performance liquid chromatography assay and ultraviolet detection. Mean Cmax values ranged from 705 +/- 158 to 1966 +/- 620 ng/mL for the 200 to 800 mg doses, at median tmax ranging from 4 to 5 hours. A slight decrease of sparfloxacin bioavailability with increasing dose was observed because AUC was 87% to 88% of the expected area when the dose was doubled. The elimination half-life values were constant over the dose range (with values ranging from 18 to 21 hours) as well as the renal clearance. The metabolic ratio conjugated/free drug was not modified by increasing dose.

The pharmacokinetics of sparfloxacin were studied in 14 renal failure patients (group I, 7 with creatinine clearance of >10 to 30 ml/min; and group II, 7 with creatinine clearance of '10 ml/min) after a single oral dose of 400 mg. Plasma and urine samples were collected up to 144 h postdosing for determination of parent and total (parent-plus-glucuronide-conjugated) sparfloxacin levels, by high-pressure liquid chromatography assay and UV detection. The A large number of fluorinated 4-quinolones has been developed in recent years. While there are differences in the details of their antimicrobial activity, they are all much more active in vitro than earlier 4-quinolone compounds. Most exhibit the greatest activity against aerobic gram-negative organisms and are generally less active against staphylococci, streptococci, and anaerobia. Sparfloxacin [5-amino-1-cyclopropyl-6,8-difluoro-1,4-dihydro-7-(cis -3,5 -dimethyl -1 -piperazinyl) -4 -oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid; AT-4140; RP 64206] is a new quinolone with broad antibacterial activity. It is more active than ciprofloxacin against staphylococci, streptococci, and enterococci. Sparfloxacin is more active than ciprofloxacin against isolates in the Bacteroides fragilis group and against clostridia. On the other hand, sparfloxacin is less active than ciprofloxacin against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae or against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1, 6, 7, 13).Studies of young subjects with normal renal function have shown that sparfloxacin kinetics are mainly characterized by a long elimination half-life (tl2) of 16 to 20 h (5, 10), low protein binding (45%) (9), and sole transformation into one inactive glucuronide conjugate (12). The elimination is mainly nonrenal, since parent and conjugated drug urinary excretions account for approximately 30% of the dose. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics of sparfloxacin in cases of renal insufficiency after a single oral dose of 400 mg. MATERIALS AND METHODSFourteen subjects with chronic renal impairment were included in the study, which was approved by the Ethical Committee