Pharmacokinetics of sodium fusidate after single and repeated infusions and oral administration of a new formulation

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Abstract
The pharmacokinetics of sodium fusidate were studied in eight healthy volunteers (five males and three females) aged 21 to 33 years (29.1 ± 1.5), weight 46 to 79 kg (61.6 ±4.0 kg). First, the subjects were given 500 mg of sodium fusidate by infusion over two hours; secondly, one month later, the volunteers were given 500 mg of fusidate by infusion every eight hours for three days; thirdly, two 250 mg tablets of a new film coated formulation were administered as a single dose. Plasma concentrations of fusidate were measured by HPLC. Peak plasma concentrations reached at the end of the first and the last infusions were 52±5 mg/l and 123±12 mg/l respectively. The following mean pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained after single intravenous administration: elimination half-life 10±1 h, total clearance 22±2ml/min and volume of distribution 0.30±0.04 1/kg. After repeated administration the half-life and the volume of distribution remained unchanged whereas total clearance was halved (11 ± 1 ml/min). This leads to an experimental accumulation ratio (3.6 ±0.2) higher than the theoretical one (1.8 ±0.1; P max was 33±3 mg/l, obtained 2.1±0.3 h after drug intake; the mean half-life (16±3h) was not statistically different from that measured after intravenous injection. The mean absolute bioavai-lability was 91±5% (range 70–118%).