title: Pharmacokinetic study of RU 486 and its metabolites after oral administration of single doses to pregnant and non-pregnant women.
abstract: RU 486 and three of its metabolites (RU 42633-monodemethyl, RU 42848-didemethyl, and RU 42698-hydroxymetabolite) were determined by HPLC in plasma from nine non-pregnant and 36 pregnant women. Each non-pregnant subject took an oral dose of RU 486 (25, 100, 400 and 600 mg consecutively) once per menstrual cycle. Six of the nine women also received a dose of 200 mg. The 36 pregnant women were randomized into four groups which were given a single dose of 25, 100, 400 or 600 mg RU 486. Blood samples were taken up to 120 h after dosing. Peak concentrations of RU 486 occurred on most occasions within 2 h. Plasma concentrations at 1 h and at 24 h increased in proportion to log dose. There was a wide variability (up to ten-fold) in the pharmacokinetic parameters within each dose group. Plasma concentrations of RU 42633 were similar to those of RU 486 but concentrations of RU 42848 and RU 42698 were much lower. As with RU 486, the plasma concentrations of the metabolites were maintained at high levels for up to 48-72 h after dosing. The findings were consistent with a rapid metabolism of RU 486 to RU 42633; removal of the second methyl group leading to RU 42698 occurred much more slowly and to a much less extent than removal of the first. There appeared to be no significant differences between the non-pregnant and pregnant women in either the plasma concentrations or pharmacokinetic parameters of RU 486 and its metabolites.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Y E
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: G Q
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Van Look
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fotherby
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015735:Mifepristone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C083539:RU 42848; C060995:Ru 42633; C083538:RU 42698; D015735:Mifepristone