Abstract
The effect of age on the pharmacokinetics of pranoprofen, a propionic acid derivative with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, was investigated in 6 young subjects (ages: 24-28, mean 25.3yr) and 7 elderly subjects (ages: 67-87, mean 77.3yr).
The plasma concentration of the unchanged form was determined by HPLC serially for 10hr after a single oral dose of 75mg pranoprofen.
For pharmacokinetic analysis, the two-compartment open model was applied to the time course of the pranoprofen plasma levels.
The terminal elimination half life of pranoprofen was significantly longer in the elderly subjects than that in the young subjects (3.13: 1.86-5.26vs. 1.48: 1.14-1.92hr [mean: two sigma limits] P<0.01), and the plasma clearance was significant ly lower in the elderly subjects than that in the young subjects (1.45: 0.61-2.29vs. 2.73: 1.75-3.71 ml/min/kg [mean: two sigma limits] P<0.01).
These results suggest the existance of some differences in pranoprofen pharmacokinetics between young subjects and elderly ones.
