Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Kinetics of the epimeric glucocorticoid budesonide

Journal Article · · Clin. Pharmacol. Ther.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/clpt.1984.71· OSTI ID:6975638

Budesonide is a potent nonhalogenated glucocorticoid consisting of a 1/1 mixture of the two epimers 22R and 22S. The kinetics of these epimers were studied in six healthy male subjects after intravenous administration of 500 micrograms /sup 3/H-budesonide. Estimation of the epimer concentrations in plasma was made possible by development of an HPLC method for simultaneous separation and quantification. The plasma t 1/2, distribution volume (V beta), and plasma clearance for epimer 22R were (mean +/- SD) 2.66 +/- 0.57 hr, 425 +/- 100 l, and 117 +/- 40 l/hr. The corresponding values for epimer 22S were 2.71 +/- 0.69 hr, 245 +/- 38 l, and 67 +/- 19 l/hr. Differences in V beta and plasma clearance between the two were significant. The larger V beta noted for epimer 22R may be a result of higher tissue affinity. The high plasma clearance for both epimers should largely reflect their high rate of liver biotransformation.

Research Organization:
AB Draco, Research and Development Laboratories, Lund, Sweden
OSTI ID:
6975638
Journal Information:
Clin. Pharmacol. Ther.; (United States), Journal Name: Clin. Pharmacol. Ther.; (United States) Vol. 35:4; ISSN CLPTA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English