EFFECT OF FOOD AND GASTRIC PH ON THE BIOAVAILABILITY OF GREPAFLOXACIN

Two open crossover studies were conducted to investigate the effects o f food or concomitant treatment with the histamine H-2-receptor antago nist famotidine on the pharmacokinetics of the new fluoroquinolone gre pafloxacin. Each study involved 16 healthy male volunteers. In the fir st study, participants received grepafloxacin 600mg, either after fast ing or after consumption of a standard high-fat meal. There were no si gnificant differences in any pharmacokinetic parameter under the fasti ng or nonfasting conditions. In the second study, participants receive d grepafloxacin 400mg, either alone or after infusion of famotidine 20 mg; additional doses of famotidine were given, if necessary, to mainta in intragastric pH above 6. Famotidine treatment had no significant ef fect on grepafloxacin pharmacokinetics. The results of these studies i ndicate that neither food nor the elevation of gastric pH influence th e absorption or bioavailability of grepafloxacin. Therefore, grepaflox acin can be administered with or without food.