Abstract
Physicians regularly challenge the hospital pharmacy departments to find alternative routes for the administration of drugs, which can't be withhold, e.g. anti‐epileptic drugs. In our hospital we were confronted with the question whether it was possible to administer oxcarbazepine rectally. In the present report data on the absorption of rectally administered oxcarbazepine is presented. No therapeutic bloodlevels were attained after rectal administration. Administration via the oral route, however, gave within the same period of time a therapeutic bloodlevel. It is concluded that the absorption after rectal administration of oxcarbazepine at least in this dose and frequency used is too low to justify application in practice.
References
Johannessen SI, Hendriksen O, Munthe-Kaas AW, Salvesen B. Serum concentration profile studies of tablets and suppositories of valproate and carbamazepine in healthy subjects and patients with epilepsy. In: Levy RH, et al., editors. Metabolism of antiepileptic drugs. New York: Raven Press, 1984.
Moolenaar F, Greving WJ, Huizinga T. Absorption rate and bioavailability of valproic acid and its sodium salt from rectal dosage forms. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1980;17:309-15.
De Boer AG, Molenaar F, De Leede LGJ, Breimer DD. Rectal drug administration: clinical pharmacokinetic considerations. Clin Pharmacokinet 1982;7:285-311.
Molenaar F, Jelsma RBH, Visser J, Meijer DKF. Manipulation of rectal absorption rate of phenytoin in man. Pharm Weekbl 1981;116:1051-6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van der Kuy, P., Koppejan, E. & Wirtz, J. Rectal absorption of oxcarbazepine. Pharm World Sci 22, 165–166 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008773432259
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008773432259