Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of alprazolam following single and multiple oral doses of a sustained-release formulation

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of alprazolam after IV and oral sustained-release (SR) tablet administration were evaluated in 42 healthy, normal, male volunteers. All 42 subjects received a single 1-mg intravenous (IV) alprazolam dose. After a 1-week washout period, the subjects received one of three SR treatments as a single dose: one 1-mg SR tablet, three 1-mg SR tablets, or six 1-mg SR tablets. Beginning 2 days after single-dose SR treatment, each subject received the above SR doses for 3 days. The daily dose for the multiple-dose study was the same as the subject received in the single-dose study. Serial blood samples were collected after each treatment (single-dose IV, single-dose SR, and after the last SR multiple dose), and plasma samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Sedation was assessed by a blinded observer at each blood sampling time. Mean pharmacokinetic parameters for IV administration were consistent with previous results. Pharmacokinetic parameters for the SR doses were consistent with linear kinetics over the dosage range studied. The mean absolute bioavailabilities of the SR tablets were greater than 0.84 after single SR doses. Maximal sedation was related to dose after single-dose SR administration. During multiple dosing, chronic tolerance was observed. Maximal sedation scores after 3 days of alprazolam SR administration were independent of the dose administered and were lower after multiple-dose administration than scores observed after single oral SR doses, although plasma alprazolam concentrations were at least 1.5 times higher with multiple dosing. Sedation data indicate that oral SR doses were well tolerated in multiple dosing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)