A simple pharmacokinetic model linking plasma progesterone concentrations with the hormone released from bovine intravaginal inserts

Abstract

On the basis of pharmacokinetic modeling, this study provides some insights into predicting in vivo plasma progesterone concentrations when using bovine intravaginal inserts for systemic progesterone delivery. More significantly, this contribution is the first attempt to build a simple pharmacokinetic model that links plasma progesterone concentrations with the hormone released from bovine intravaginal inserts. After evaluating three rival pharmacokinetic models and considering some phenomena involved in the intravaginal administration of progesterone, a primary pharmacokinetic model having a good data fitting capability with only two adjustable parameters is proposed to the above mentioned task. Kinetic parameters are given for lactating Holstein dairy cows with two levels of daily milk yields; and non-pregnant, non-lactating Holstein-Friesian cattle. Model predictions indicate the occurrence of a preferential distribution of the intravaginally administered progesterone dose through a first uterine pass effect.