SHORT-TERM SUCRALFATE ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT ALTER THE ABSORPTION OFMETRONIDAZOLE IN HEALTHY MALE-VOLUNTEERS

Background: An oral triple therapy using sucralfate instead of a bismu th to eradicate Helicobacter pylori has yielded worse results than tho se obtained with conventional oral triple therapies. To date, the effe ct of sucralfate on the pharmacokinetics of nitroimidazolic compounds used in triple therapy such as with metronidazole is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a 5-day administration period of sucralfate (2 g b.i.d.) on metronidazole pharmacokinetics. M ethods: Fourteen healthy male volunteers were selected. The study had an open randomized 2-period crossover design with a 14-day washout per iod between the phases. The plasma concentration of metronidazole and its hydroxy-metabolite were measured by reverse-phase HPLC with ultrav iolet detection. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed in any of the pharmacokinetic parameters studied in the absen ce and presence of sucralfate. Conclusion: Our results clearly indicat e that short-term treatment with sucralfate in healthy volunteers does not alter the extent or the rate of metronidazole absorption, and doe s not affect metronidazole clearance.