title: Epidural, intrathecal and plasma pharmacokinetic study of epidural ropivacaine in PLGA-microspheres in sheep model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microparticulate local anesthetics-loaded delivery systems are known to provide a controlled release of drug and to reduce systemic toxicity resulting from transient high plasma concentrations. The aim of this study was to evaluate epidural, intrathecal and plasma pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine following epidural administrations of repeated boluses or infusions and to compare them with the epidural administration of polylactide-co-glycolide ropivacaine-loaded microspheres.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first step, the epidural and intrathecal pharmacokinetics was evaluated in 3 Lacaunes ewes, receiving epidural continuous infusion of ropivacaine with increasing doses (20, 50 and 100mg/h). Then, six animals received an epidural administration of ropivacaine-loaded microspheres (500 mg), three others received ropivacaine in epidural bolus (30 mg) followed by infusion (2mg/ml during 6h), and the last three animals received three successive epidural boluses of ropivacaine (50mg) at 2h interval. A simultaneous microdialysis technique was used to measure epidural and intrathecal concentrations of ropivacaine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After epidural administration of ropivacaine-loaded microspheres, Cmax in plasma was around 100 ng/ml while epidural and intrathecal Cmax of ropivacaine were close to 600 and 150 microg/ml, respectively. The ratios of intrathecal to epidural AUC (AUCit/AUCepi) for bolus administration, bolus+infusion administration, and for microspheres were 13.4+/-2.4; 14.1+/-6.1 and 33.9+/-22.6%, respectively. This suggested that administration of ropivacaine as microspheres increased the transmeningeal passage of ropivacaine in comparison to other administration regimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epidural administration of ropivacaine-loaded microspheres led to the sustained levels of ropivacaine in the intrathecal space compared to the boluses of ropivacaine solution. Moreover, epidural administration of microspheres resulted in the highest efficiency in intrathecal uptake of ropivacaine compared to administration in solution.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacie Galénique, Biopharmacie et Pharmacie Clinique, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ratajczak-Enselme
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Estebe
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dollo
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chevanne
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bec
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Malinovsky
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ecoffey
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Le Corre
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001682:Biological Availability; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D008578:Meninges / Q000187:drug effects; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D008863:Microspheres; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D000077212:Ropivacaine; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D011108:Polymers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D000077212:Ropivacaine