Fasting and postprandial disposition of R(-)- and S(+)-ibuprofen following oral administration of racemic drug in healthy individuals.

The effects of preceding food intake on the plasma concentrations of R(-)-ibuprofen and the pharmacologically active enantiomer S(+)-ibuprofen were investigated in healthy subjects. A single oral dose of 400 mg racemic ibuprofen was administered either fasting or following a standardized meal. As compared to fasting administration postprandial drug intake resulted in a clear reduction of R(-) and S(+)- ibuprofen plasma concentrations mainly during the initial three hours. The ratio of S(+)/R(-)-ibuprofen postprandially was increased for Cmax and AUC o-tmax as well as for AUC o-infinity. These data are compatible with a meal-induced enhancement of chiral inversion of R(-) to S(+)-ibuprofen. The significant reduction of plasma concentrations of ibuprofen mainly during the initial three hours suggests that the analgesic efficacy is diminished when the drug is taken after a meal. This may to a slight extent be compensated for by a small increase of the metabolic inversion of the R(-)-enantiomer into the active S(+)-form of the drug.