Effects of Differential Food Patterns on the Pharmacokinetics of Enteric‐Coated Mesalazine Tablets in the Same Cohort of Healthy Chinese Volunteers.

This study aimed to simultaneously determine mesalazine (5‐ASA) and its major metabolite N‐Ac‐5‐ASA in the plasma and to evaluate the impact of different food patterns on the relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of a single oral dose of 5‐ASA in healthy subjects. In this single‐dose, open‐label, 3‐period, 3‐treatment crossover study, the subjects received a single, oral dose of 500‐mg enteric‐coated mesalazine tablet together with either a low‐fat or a high‐fat breakfast or under fasting condition (reference). The pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by noncompartmental methods and analyzed with a linear mixed‐effect model. The geometric least squares mean ratio for the area under the plasma concentration–time curve from zero to infinity of N‐Ac‐5‐ASA was 1.05 (90% confidence interval [CI], 0.70‐1.58) for high‐fat/fasted condition and 1.06 (90%CI, 0.82‐1.36) for low‐fat/fasted condition. The least squares mean ratio of 5‐ASA was 0.86 (90%CI, 0.65‐1.14) for high‐fat/fasted condition and 0.78 (90%CI, 0.60‐1.02) for low‐fat/fasted condition. All P values were >.05. The mean maximum plasma concentration and the time to reach the maximum plasma concentration of N‐Ac‐5‐ASA were 2084 ng/mL, 8 hours; 2639 ng/mL, 11 hours, and 2409 ng/mL, 9 hours for fasted, high‐fat, and low‐fat, respectively. The values of 5‐ASA were 1950 ng/mL, 7 hours; 2869 ng/mL, 9 hours; and 2837 ng/mL, 8 hours for fasted, high‐fat, and low‐fat condition. 5‐ASA was well tolerated under all 3 conditions. Food delayed the absorption of 5‐ASA, especially a high‐fat meal. Therefore, enteric‐coated mesalazine tablets should be taken before meals to avoid causing patients slow response and any effect of food on its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]