Search

1. An open-label study was performed to assess the effect of piroxicam on the pharmacokinetics of acenocoumarol enantiomers. 2. Eight healthy male volunteers received an oral dose of 4 mg rac-acenocoumarol on days 1 and 8, plus 40 mg piroxicam orally 2 h before the anticoagulant on day 8. R- and S-acenocoumarol, piroxicam and their metabolites were measured in plasma over a 24 h interval. 3. The pharmacokinetics of R-acenocoumarol were markedly modified by piroxicam: Cmax+28.0% (s.d.23.8), P < 0.05; AUC(0, 24 h)+47.2% (21.5), P < 0.005; and t1/2 +38.0% (34.5), P < 0.01. A concomitant decrease of CL/F was observed: -30.8% (10.0), P < 0.0001. A similar, but statistically non-significant trend, was observed on the S-enantiomer: Cmax: +9.5% (s.d.36.6), AUC(0, 24 h): + 15.4% (23.4), t1/2: +19.9% (42.0), and CL/F: -9.8% (20.5). V/F remained unchanged for both enantiomers. 4. Piroxicam plasma AUC(0, 24 h) correlated closely with R- and S-acenocoumarol AUCs on day 1 (r = 0.901, P < 0.005 and r = 0.797, P < 0.05, respectively), as well as with the difference of AUC between days 1 and 8 for R-acenocoumarol (r = 0.903, P < 0.001) and S-acenocoumarol (r = 0.711, P < 0.05). 5. Piroxicam markedly reduced acenocoumarol enantiomer clearance, with a greater effect on the more active R-isomer. This interaction, which occurs in addition to the well documented pharmacodynamic one (effect on platelets), is expected to result in increased anticoagulant effect.

Pharmacokinetic interaction between ponsinomycin-nicoumalone was studied in six subjects who received an 8 mg oral dose of racemic nicoumalone alone and 4 days into an oral regimen of ponsinomycin 800 mg twice daily. The concentrations of R(+) and S(-)-nicoumalone in plasma were measured using a stereospecific h.p.l.c. assay. The disposition characteristics of nicoumalone enantiomers in the control phase of this study were similar to those reported previously with the exception of the data for one subject whose oral clearance for S(-)-nicoumalone was seven times lower than those in the other subjects. A statistically significant effect of ponsinomycin on the kinetics of R(+) and S(-)-nicoumalone was not demonstrated.

1. A stereospecific h.p.l.c. assay of nicoumalone in plasma has been developed. 2. The assay was applied to a study in which 20 mg racemic nicoumalone was given orally to three volunteers and blood samples taken for 168 h. 3. The mean pharmacokinetic parameters of the individual enantiomers were: clearance/bioavailability 1.28 1 h-1, R-enantiomer; 17.5 1 h-1, S-enantiomer: volume of distribution/bioavailability 12.5 1, R-enantiomer; 22.6 1, S-enantiomer: terminal half-life 6.8 h, R-enantiomer; 0.91 h, S-enantiomer. 4. The data are consistent with a substantial first-pass hepatic loss of S-nicoumalone.