title: Pharmacokinetics of penciclovir after oral administration of its prodrug famciclovir to horses.
abstract: We investigated the pharmacokinetics of penciclovir after oral administration of its prodrug famciclovir to horses. Following an oral dose of famciclovir at 20 mg/kg, maximum plasma concentrations of penciclovir occurred between 0.75 and 1.5 hr (mean 0.94 + or - 0.38 hr) after dosing and were in the range 2.22 to 3.56 microg/ml (mean 2.87 + or - 0.61 microg/ml). The concentrations of penciclovir declined in a biphasic manner after the peak concentration was attained. The mean half-life of the rapid elimination phase was 1.73 + or - 0.34 hr whereas that of the slow elimination phase was 34.34 + or - 13.93 hr. These pharmacokinetic profiles observed were similar to those of another antiherpesvirus drug, acyclovir, previously reported in horses following oral dosing of its prodrug valacyclovir.
authors: Epizootic Research Center, Equine Research Institute, Japan Racing Association, 1400-4 Shiba, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0412, Japan. koji_tsujimura@jra.go.jp
authors: Koji
authors: K
authors: Tsujimura
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Yamada
authors: Shun-ichi
authors: S
authors: Nagata
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Yamanaka
authors: Manabu
authors: M
authors: Nemoto
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Kondo
authors: Masahiko
authors: M
authors: Kurosawa
authors: Tomio
authors: T
authors: Matsumura
mesh_terms: D015075:2-Aminopurine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019540:Area Under Curve; D000077595:Famciclovir; D006147:Guanine; D006207:Half-Life; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000187:drug effects; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; C053539:penciclovir; D015075:2-Aminopurine; D006147:Guanine; D000077595:Famciclovir; D000212:Acyclovir