title: Pharmacokinetics of phenobarbital following single and repeated doses.
abstract: Serum levels of phenobarbital, and also urinary excretion of phenobarbital and p-hydroxyphenobarbital, were examined after single and repeated oral doses of phenobarbital to three male subjects. Serum levels of phenobarbital at steady state were approximately ten times as high as those after a single dose. The overall elimination rate constant for loss of phenobarbital from serum, Kel, was significantly reduced after repeated doses, and Cmax infinity values calculated from single-dose data poorly predicted observed Cmax infinity values. Five-day urinary excretion of phenobarbital and p-hydroxyphenobarbital accounted for 16 and 21 per cent, respectively, of the initial dose. Due to extensive drug accumulation, 83 per cent of the final dose was excreted in five-day urine as phenobarbital and 85 per cent, as p-hydroxyphenobarbital. Comparison of plasma and renal clearances indicated that the rate of phenobarbital metabolism was reduced owing to repeated dosing, while the rate of urinary excretion of parent drug was unchanged.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010634:Phenobarbital