title: Pharmacokinetic comparison of the buprenorphine sublingual liquid and tablet.
abstract: Buprenorphine is a mu opioid partial agonist being developed as a treatment for opioid dependence. Buprenorphine, usually administered as a sublingual liquid, is now being developed as a sublingual tablet for clinical use. The present study compared participants' plasma concentrations after daily maintenance on three buprenorphine liquid doses (2, 4 and 8 mg) and one tablet dose (8 mg). Fourteen opioid-dependent individuals (11 males, three females) participated. Plasma samples were collected over a 24-h period after at least 7 days of maintenance on each dose. Results showed that the liquid doses produced dose-related increases in plasma concentrations. The 8-mg tablet produced mean plasma concentrations significantly lower than those of the 8-mg liquid, although there was substantial individual variability. Thus, the buprenorphine tablet dose might have to be adjusted to produce plasma concentrations equivalent to those of the liquid.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Detroit, MI 48207, USA. kschuh@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Schuh
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Johanson
mesh_terms: D000286:Administration, Sublingual; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013607:Tablets
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D013607:Tablets; D002047:Buprenorphine