Pharmacokinetic comparison of the buprenorphine sublingual liquid and tablet

Buprenorphine is a mu opioid partial agonist being developed as a treatment for opioid dependence. Buprenorphine, usually administered as a sublingual liquid, is now being developed as a sublingual tablet for clinical use. Th e present study compared participants' plasma concentrations after daily ma intenance on three buprenorphine liquid doses (2, 4 and 8 mg) and one table t dose (8 mg). Fourteen opioid-dependent individuals (11 males, three femal es) participated. Plasma samples were collected over a 24-h period after at least 7 days of maintenance on each dose. Results showed that the liquid d oses produced dose-related increases in plasma concentrations. The 8-mg tab let produced mean plasma concentrations significantly lower than those of t he 8-mg liquid, although there was substantial individual variability. Thus , the buprenorphine tablet dose might have to be adjusted to produce plasma concentrations equivalent to those of the liquid. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.