Background/aims: the determination of oral bioavailability of drugs which follow nonlinear pharmacokinetics is difficult and few methods are available. In this work, an alternative approach to determine oral bioavailability of voriconazole (VRC), used as a model drug, is presented.
Methods: VRC pharmacokinetics was investigated in Wistar rats after p.o. (40 mg/kg) and i.v. administration (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg). VRC elimination showed saturation in all doses investigated, except the lower i.v. dose in which case a 3-compartment model with linear elimination adequately fitted the data. Data for the 2 higher i.v. doses were best described by a 3-compartment model with Michaelis-Menten elimination. A 1-compartment disposition with a saturable metabolic elimination model described the oral profile. VRC absolute oral bioavailability was determined by simultaneous fitting of the i.v. and oral profiles.
Results: the Michaelis constant and the maximum velocity estimated after 5 and 10 mg/kg i.v. dosing were 0.54 +/- 0.25 microg/ml and 2.53 +/- 0.54 microg/h, and 0.62 +/- 0.12 microg/ml and 2.74 +/- 0.84 microg/h, respectively. VRC oral bioavailability was determined to be 82.8%.
Conclusion: the approach presented is an alternative for determining the bioavailability of drugs with similar nonlinear behavior.
2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.