title: Pharmacokinetics of loprazolam and its principal metabolite in young subjects and elderly hospital patients.
abstract: 1. The pharmacokinetics of loprazolam and its principal pharmacologically active metabolite, the piperazine N-oxide, were compared in young subjects (aged 21-25 years) and elderly patients (aged 63-86 years) following single oral evening doses (0.5 mg and 1 mg). 2. Plasma loprazolam was assayed by a specific h.p.l.c./g.c. method. The N-oxide metabolite was assayed by gas chromography. 3. Mean times to peak plasma concentration of loprazolam did not differ significantly between young and elderly subjects and ranged from 1.6-2.7 h. There was, however, a longer mean time to peak concentration of the N-oxide metabolite in the elderly but this was only statistically different after the 0.5 mg dose (4.5 mg young, 6.4 h elderly). 4. Mean peak plasma concentrations of loprazolam did not differ significantly between young and elderly nor did plasma concentrations of the N-oxide metabolite. 5. Although the mean elimination half-life of loprazolam was not statistically significantly different between young and elderly subjects (range 10.9-16.0 h) there was a trend towards somewhat longer half-lives in the elderly. Furthermore, there was a small but significant increase in the half-life of the N-oxide metabolite in the elderly after the 1 mg dose from 11.7 h to 16.7 h. 6. The areas under the plasma concentration time curves for both loprazolam and its N-oxide were greater in the elderly being some 50-68% (mean 132.0 and 111.5 ng/ml h) above those found in young subjects (mean 89.8 and 66.0 ng/ml h).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C020168:triazulenone