Pharmacokinetics of paracetamol (acetaminophen) after intravenous and oral administration (original) (raw)
Summary
Plasma paracetamol concentrations were measured in 6 volunteers after single intravenous (1000 mg) and oral (500 mg, 1000 mg and 2000 mg) doses of the drug. Paracetamol levels declined multiphasically with a mean clearance after intravenous administration of 352±40 ml/min. A two-compartment open model appeared to describe the decline adequately. Comparison of the areas under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) indicated that oral bioavailability increased from 0.63±0.02 after 500 mg, to 0.89±0.04 and 0.87±0.08 after 1000 mg and 2000 mg, respectively. As a consequence of the incomplete bioavailability of paracetamol, as well as its multicompartmental distribution, accurate estimates of its distribution volume and clearance cannot be obtained if the drug is given orally. However, an estimate of its total plasma clearance may be derived from the AUC after a 500 mg oral dose.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Get 10 units per month
- Download Article/Chapter or eBook
- 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
- Cancel anytime Subscribe now
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Cummings, A. J., King, M. L., Martin, B. K.: A kinetic study of drug elimination: the excretion of paracetamol and its metabolites in man. Brit. J. Pharmacol.29, 150–157 (1967)
Google Scholar - Heading, R. C., Nimmo, J., Prescott, L. F., Tothill, P.: The dependence of paracetamol absorption on gastric emptying. Brit. J. Pharmacol.47, 415–421 (1973)
Google Scholar - Prescott, L. F.: Gas-liquid chromatographic estimation of paracetamol. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.23, 807–812 (1971)
Google Scholar - Rawlins, M. D., Davies, D. M., Routledge, P. A.: Drug toxicity and blood levels. Proc. Europ. Soc. Toxicol. In press 1976
- Riggs, D. S.: The mathematical approach to physiological problems. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins 1963
Google Scholar - Shively, C. A., Vesell, E. S.: Temporal variations in acetaminophen and phenacetin half-life in man. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther.18, 413–424 (1975)
Google Scholar - Triggs, E. J., Nation, R. L., Long, A., Ashely, J. J.: Pharmacokinetics in the elderly. Europ. J. clin. Pharmacol.8, 55–62 (1975)
Google Scholar
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences (Clinical Pharmacology), University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
M. D. Rawlins, D. B. Henderson & A. R. Hijab
Authors
- M. D. Rawlins
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - D. B. Henderson
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar - A. R. Hijab
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rawlins, M.D., Henderson, D.B. & Hijab, A.R. Pharmacokinetics of paracetamol (acetaminophen) after intravenous and oral administration.Eur J Clin Pharmacol 11, 283–286 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00607678
- Received: 26 July 1976
- Accepted: 11 October 1976
- Issue Date: July 1977
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00607678