Bio-availability study of tetracycline

ABSTRACT

Bio-availability of tetracycline hydrochloride capsules, 500 mg orally administered, was studied on 24 healthy adult Myanmar, aged 16 to 40 years. The peak tetracycline serum concentration of 1.42 0.24 g/ dl was attained in 4 hours, with a gradual fall to 0.16 g/ dl at 24 hours. Myanmar females, when compared to their male counterparts, showed a poorer ability to absorb the drug and had a shorter drug half-life in accordance with their obviously greater drug elimination. Nevertheless there were no significant differences between males and females regarding the remaining major pharmacokinetic parameters such as, the time at which maximum concentration of drug in serum occurred, apparent volume of drug distribution, and systemic blood clearance of the drug. The clinical implication is thus discussed.