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Novel Pharmacokinetic Modelling of Transdermal Nitroglycerin

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Abstract

Purpose. To construct a pharmacokinetic (PK) model and to determine population PK parameters of nitroglycerin (GTN), 1,2-dinitroglycerin (1,2-GDN), and 1,3-dinitroglycerin (1,3-GDN).

Methods. Data were obtained in thirty healthy volunteers following a single dose of a GTN reservoir transdermal patch. Blood samples were obtained just before and at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 14, and 24 hours after the patch application and 1 hour after its removal. GTN, 1,2-GDN, and 1,3-GDN concentrations were determined using HPLC and simultaneously best fitted using a first-pass mixed-order release one-compartment PK model. Individual estimates (ADAPT-II) were used as priors for a population PK analysis (IT2S). Fitted parameters included the percentage (A) of the nitroglycerin dose reaching the systemic circulation that was released from the patch by a first-order process (K1); two absorption (ka1 and ka2), two metabolite formation (kfl and kf2) and one metabolite elimination (k(m)) rate constants; and three volumes of distribution Vc/F, V2/F and V3/F.

Results. Nitroglycerin mean population parameter estimates and inter-individual variability (CV%) were: A 35% (65), K1, 0.06 h−1(91), ka1 5 h−1(46), ka2 0.47 h−1 (39), kf1 11 h−1(42), kf2 0.6 h−1(34), k(m) 1.4 h−1(29), Vc/F 6 L(31), V2 /F 73 L(34), and V3 /F 23 L(29). The average elimination half-lives for GTN and the two metabolites were 5 and 32 minutes, respectively.

Conclusions. The proposed PK model fitted observed concentrations of GTN, 1,2-GDN and 1,3-GDN very well. This model should be useful to predict drug and metabolite concentrations and to assess bioequivalence of two transdermal formulations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128 Station centre-ville, Montréal, Qc., Canada, H3C 3J7, and

    Barbara Auclair, Gérard Sirois, Anh Ho Ngoc & Murray P. Ducharme

  2. Rhône-Poulenc Rorer Canada Inc., Canada

    Barbara Auclair, Gérard Sirois, Anh Ho Ngoc & Murray P. Ducharme

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  1. Barbara Auclair
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Auclair, B., Sirois, G., Ngoc, A.H. et al. Novel Pharmacokinetic Modelling of Transdermal Nitroglycerin. Pharm Res 15, 614–619 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011942213508

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