Pharmacokinetics of tablet huperzine A in six volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
To study pharmacokinetics of tablet huperzine A (Hup-A) in Chinese volunteers to help establishing its drug administration schedule.


METHODS
For 6 volunteers after a single oral dose of 0.99 mg, drug concentrations in plasma were assayed by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) at 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 h. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated with a 3P87 program by computer.


RESULTS
The time course of plasma concentrations conformed to a one-compartment open model with a first order absorption. The pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: T 1/2ka = 12.6 min, T 1/2ke = 288.5 min, Tmax = 79.6 min, Cmax = 8.4 micrograms L-1, AUC = 4.1 mg L-1 min.


CONCLUSIONS
Hup-A was absorbed rapidly, distributed widely in the body, and eliminated at a moderate rate.
Qian
B C
BC
Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
Wang
M
M
Zhou
Z F
ZF
Chen
K
K
Zhou
R R
RR
Chen
G S
GS
D000328:Adult; D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013607:Tablets
D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D013607:Tablets; C050426:huperzine A