FOOD-INTAKE AND DOSAGE LEVEL, BUT NOT TABLET VS SOLUTION DOSAGE FORM,AFFECT THE ABSORPTION OF METFORMIN HCL IN MAN

The pharmacokinetics of four single-dose treatments of the metformin a dministered orally (as the HCl salt) were compared in 24 healthy subje cts: 500 mg and 850 mg tablets and 850 mg solution fasting and 850 mg tablet with food. Solution and tablet formulations are bioequivalent. Bioavailability of a 500 mg tablet is 14% greater than that of an 850 mg tablet. Compared with the fasting state, bioavailability is 24% low er, and the peak concentration delayed about 37 min when an 850 mg tab let is administered with food.