title: The pharmacokinetics of melphalan in patients with multiple myeloma: an intravenous/oral study using a conventional dose regimen.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of melphalan have been studied after intravenous and oral dosing (10 mg) in 6 patients with multiple myeloma. After intravenous administration, mean plasma t0.5 alpha was 8.0 +/- 2.3 min, t0,5 beta was 63.3 +/- 8.7 min, and total systemic clearance was 510.4 +/- 57.9 ml/min. After oral administration, the drug was rapidly absorbed (lag-time = 18.4 +/- 3.7 min, absorption rate constant = 0.0547 +/- 0.0166 min-1, Tmax = 59.3 +/- 6.6 min), but there was considerable variation in its bioavailability (61.5 - 102.0% mean 78.3 +/- 6.3%). Variability in drug absorption may be responsible, at least in part, for variation in response to this drug.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008558:Melphalan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008558:Melphalan