title: Absolute bioavailability of letrozole in healthy postmenopausal women.
abstract: Letrozole is a new non-steroidal inhibitor of the aromatase enzyme system. It is currently under development for the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer. Absolute bioavailability of letrozole when given orally as one 2.5 mg film-coated tablet in comparison to the same dose given intravenously as a bolus injection was studied in 12 healthy postmenopausal women. Letrozole absolute systemic bioavailability after p.o. administration was 99.9 +/- 16.3%. Elimination of letrozole was slow. Total-body clearance of letrozole from plasma after i.v. administration was low (2.21 L h-1). The calculated distribution volume at steady state (1.87 L kg-1) suggests a rather high tissue distribution. Biotransformation of letrozole is the main elimination mechanism with the glucuronide conjugate of the secondary alcohol metabolite being the predominant species found in urine. The two study treatments were tolerated equally well.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoires Ciba-Geigy, Bioanalytics and Pharmacokinetics, Rueil-Malmaison, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sioufi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gauducheau
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pineau
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marfil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jaouen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cardot
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Godbillon
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Czendlik
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Howald
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vreeland
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D019540:Area Under Curve; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D001682:Biological Availability; D001711:Biotransformation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D000077289:Letrozole; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077289:Letrozole