Pharmacokinetics of intravenously administered haem arginate.

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Abstract
The pharmacokinetics of haem were investigated after intravenous administration of a therapeutic dose of haem arginate (3 mg haem kg‐1) to four healthy volunteers and four symptomless porphyric patients. Plasma haem concentrations were measured also during a treatment course of four infusions in six patients with porphyria. Plasma haem concentrations declined monoexponentially over 48 h in both healthy volunteers and porphyric patients, with a mean +/‐ s.e. mean elimination half‐life of 10.8 +/‐ 0.6 h. Other kinetic parameters were also similar in the two groups, total plasma clearance was 3.7 +/‐ 0.4 ml min‐1 and volume of distribution was 3.37 +/‐ 0.34 l. In the multiple dose study the elimination half‐life increased significantly, from 11.3 +/‐ 0.4 h to 18.1 +/‐ 1.4 h over 4 consecutive days. Plasma haemopexin values decreased with time after a single haem arginate dose. The infusion of haem arginate did not cause thrombophlebitis.