EFFECT OF ENTERAL FEEDING WITH ENSURE ON ORAL BIOAVAILABILITIES OF OFLOXACIN AND CIPROFLOXACIN

The relative oral bioavailabilities of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin whe n they were coadministered with water or an enteral feeding product (E nsure) were assessed in 13 healthy volunteers. The area under the conc entration time curve from time zero to infinity and the maximum concen tration of drug in serum for both drugs were reduced by Ensure in comp arison with those by water (P < 0.01). However, Ensure reduced the per cent relative bioavailability of ciprofloxacin (72% +/- 14%; range, 52 to 96%) significantly more than ofloxacin (90% +/- 8.3%; range, 74 to 105%) (P < 0.005). Coadministration of Ensure significantly diminishe d ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin absorption, but ciprofloxacin absorption was reduced significantly more than ofloxacin absorption.