BIOAVAILABILITY OF DIFFERENT ARTEMISININ TABLET FORMULATIONS IN RABBIT PLASMA - CORRELATION WITH RESULTS OBTAINED BY AN IN-VITRO DISSOLUTION METHOD

The demonstration of a good overall correlation with in vivo data is t he ultimate proof of qualification for any dissolution-rate test. For artemisinin, a very hydrophobic compound at a high content in oral sol id dosage forms, all official dissolution apparatus were estimated uns uitable. A modified two phase partition-dissolution method was applied to solve this problem. This study reports on the bioavalability of th ree different formulations of artemisinin tablets in rabbit plasma. Ar temisinin concentrations in plasma were determined by liquid chromatog raphy. A linear correlation between results obtained by the partition- dissolution method described and the obtained in vivo data confirmed t he validity of the dissolution method. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.