BIOAVAILABILITY OF NORFLOXACIN FROM PEG-6000 SOLID DISPERSION AND CYCLODEXTRIN INCLUSION COMPLEXES IN RABBITS

A comparative bioavailability study was carried out in rabbits on pure powder of norfloxacin and its formulations: aqueous solution, polyeth yleneglycol 6000 solid dispersions (PEG 6000 SD), beta-cyclodextrin (b eta-CD) and hydroxypropyl-beta cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) complexes. No rfloxacin plasma concentrations were measured by HPLC method with a fl uorimetric detection. Estimation of t(1/2) and k(e) proved that PEG 60 00 SD and CD complexes did not modify the elimination characteristics of norfloxacin. Data from plasma concentration profiles indicated that absorption of norfloxacin from of SD and inclusion complexes was mark edly accelerated when compared with powder of pure drug. The extent of absorption was significantly smaller with powder of norfloxacin than with its formulations. Bioavailability was improved and significantly higher with CD and complexes SD than with powder, but the improvement was lower than expected.