Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1999-2-26
pubmed:abstractText
The pharmacokinetics of naltrexone have been scarcely explored in patients during chronic treatment despite the observation that the pharmacological effect of the drug is related to its plasma concentrations. In this study we investigated the time course of serum levels of naltrexone and its active metabolite, 6 beta-naltrexol, in 13 heroin addicts (3 F, 10 M; age 22-32 years) in the 24 h after 100 mg of naltrexone orally. Six patients were studied once, at different times during chronic treatment, whereas in seven patients the study was done at the beginning and after 1 month of naltrexone treatment. Four of these patients also repeated the study after 3 months of naltrexone treatment. Serum naltrexone and 6 beta-naltrexol were assayed by GLC with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Our results showed large differences among patients in serum naltrexone and 6 beta-naltrexol levels. On the other hand, there were no differences in serum time course of both substances in the same patient over 3 months. Peak levels and AUCs of naltrexone were lower than those of 6 beta-naltrexol in ten addicts and higher than those of the metabolite in three patients. No significant differences in the apparent half-lives of the two drugs were detected among groups. These data are consistent with the occurrence of a decreased first-pass metabolism of naltrexone in three patients leading to a larger availability of an oral dose. The increased bioavailability of the drug is not very important for opioid receptor antagonist activity but may play a role in naltrexone treatment safety.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Nov
pubmed:issn
0376-8716
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
1
pubmed:volume
52
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
211-20
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Serum time course of naltrexone and 6 beta-naltrexol levels during long-term treatment in drug addicts.
pubmed:affiliation
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università di Modena, Italy.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article