Evidence for a second site of absorption of veralipride in the human small intestine. Use of a new drug delivery telemetric shuttle.

A new telemetric shuttle was used to coadminister veralipride (CAS 66644-81-3) and veralipride-D3 in order to test the assumption that veralipride is absorbed at two sites of the small intestine. Two different pharmacokinetic approaches were used to interpret the obtained data. According to the results, the second site of absorption of veralipride is located at a distance corresponding to 2/3 of the total length of the small intestine.

Pharmacokinetics of veralipride after chronic administration in humans.

A pharmacokinetic study of veralipride (N-[(1-allyl-2-pyrroli dinyl)methyl]-5-sulfamoyl-o-veratramide) was performed in healthy volunteers during a chronic administration. The pharmacokinetic model based on the hypothesis of a double site for drug absorption, previously used after a single-dose oral administration, was developed to fit the data obtained after chronic administration. The empirical model used allows correct depiction of the behavior of the drug in the body, especially secondary peaks. According to the results, veralipride pharmacokinetics did not show any change upon chronic administration.

A double-peak phenomenon in the pharmacokinetics of veralipride after oral administration: a double-site model for drug absorption.

Equal doses of veralipride have been given to 12 healthy volunteers by three different administrations--intravenous infusion, oral solution, and oral capsules--in a randomized cross-over design. After the intake of the solution, but not after infusion or capsules, two maximum plasma concentrations have been observed and interpreted, according to a double-site model for drug absorption.

Quantitative determination of tertatolol in biological fluids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Quantitative determination of tertatolol concentrations in plasma and urine was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the chemical-ionization mode with ammonia after successive extractions of the beta-blocking drug in alkaline, acid and final alkaline medium. [2H9]Tertatolol, isotopically stable under the operating conditions employed, was used as an internal standard, thus allowing quantities of 1 ng/ml to be specifically determined. Overall analytical error was less than 10%. Prior to isothermal chromatography at 240 degrees C on a column packed with 3% SE-30, both compounds were silylated with bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. Detection was performed by monitoring the quasimolecular ions of tertatolol, m/z 368 and m/z 377, for the [2H9]tertatolol in the chemical-ionization mode with ammonia. The calibration curves obtained had linear characteristics for the concentration range 1-1125 ng/ml.

Quantitative analysis of veralipride in plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection.

A highly sensitive and selective quantitative assay for unchanged veralipride has been developed. The compound is extracted from alkalized samples (plasma or urine) with dichloromethane and converted to its trimethylated derivative by reaction with trimethylanilinium hydroxide. The reaction mixture is then chromatographed on a 3% OV-1 column. Trimethylated derivatives of plasma samples were assayed by selected-ion monitoring in the chemical-ionization mode and quantified by comparing the intensity of the quasi-molecular ion m/z 426 (M + H) with the intensity of the corresponding ion from trideuterated internal standard, m/z 429 (M + H). Flame-ionization detection was used for the assay of urine samples. The peak height ratio of trimethylated veralipride over trimethylated sulpiride, the internal standard, was used for quantitation of urine samples. A relative standard deviation of less than 10% was found when quantifying 10 ng/ml veralipride in plasma or 1 microgram/ml in urine.

Primary dose-dependent pharmacokinetic study of veralipride.

A dose-dependent pharmacokinetic study of veralipride (a new post-menopausal "hot flushes" regulator) was developed in humans after oral solution administration (100, 150, 200, and 250 mg). In most cases, two maxima of plasma drug concentrations occurred, probably due to a double intestinal site of absorption. From model independent pharmacokinetic parameters, it can be concluded that a linearity in the tested range doses exists.