title: A comparison of the pharmacokinetics and tissue penetration of spiramycin and erythromycin.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of two orally administered macrolides, spiramycin and erythromycin, were compared in six healthy male volunteers in a single dose cross-over study. Penetration of these antimicrobial agents into inflammatory fluid was studied. Spiramycin was administered in a 2 g dose and erythromycin in a 500 mg dose. Spiramycin (Tmax = 3.3 h) and erythromycin (Tmax = 1.2 h) were well absorbed reaching mean plasma Cmax of 3.1 mg/l and 2.1 mg/l, respectively. The relative bioavailability of erythromycin compared to spiramycin appeared to be three- to four-fold greater. The mean plasma elimination half-life was 3.8 h for spiramycin and 1.6 h for erythromycin. The percentage penetration of the antibiotics into inflammatory fluid was good, being 66% for spiramycin and 54% for erythromycin. Both antimicrobial agents attained inflammatory fluid Cmax of 0.7 mg/l by 4-4.8 h. Spiramycin persisted in the inflammatory fluid with a mean elimination half-life of 7.7 h compared to 2.2 h for erythromycin. Twenty-four hour urinary recovery of the administered dose of each antimicrobial agent was less than 5%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kavi
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Webberley
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wise
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D007933:Leucomycins / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D007933:Leucomycins; D004917:Erythromycin