Dose-independent pharmacokinetics of metformin in rats: Hepatic and gastrointestinal first-pass effects

Young H. Choi, Sang G. Kim, Myung G. Lee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

107 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pharmacokinetic parameters of metformin were evaluated after intravenous and oral administration (50,100, and 200 mg/kg) in rats. The hepatic, gastric, and intestinal first-pass effects were also measured after intravenous, intraportal, intragastric, and intraduodenal administration (100 mg/kg) in rats. The total area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to time infinity (AUC) values were dose-proportional after both intravenous and oral dose ranges studied. After oral administration (100 mg/kg), approximately 4.39% of oral dose was not absorbed and extent of absolute oral bioavailability (F) value was approximately 29.9%. The gastrointestinal first-pass effect of metformin was approximately 53.8% of oral dose in rats (the gastric and intestinal first-pass effects were approximately 23.1 and 30.7%, respectively), and the hepatic first-pass effect was approximately 27.1% after absorption into the portal vein. Since approximately 41.8% of oral metformin was absorbed into the portal vein, the value of 27.1% is equivalent to 11.3% of oral dose. The first-pass effects of metformin in the lung and heart were almost negligible in rats. The low F value of metformin in rats was mainly due to considerable gastrointestinal first-pass effects. The stability of metformin, distribution of metformin between plasma and blood cells, and factors affecting protein binding of metformin to 4% human serum albumin were also discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2543-2552
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Volume95
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2006

Keywords

  • Gastrointestinal and hepatic first-pass effects
  • Metformin
  • Pharmacokinetics
  • Rats

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