Medroxyprogesterone acetate plasma pharmacokinetics after intravenous administration in rabbits

Summary Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP) plasma pharmacokinetics was followed up in a total of 30 New Zealand rabbits after i. v. administration (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg) of either an aqueous suspension or a homogeneous solution of the drug in dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO). A well-defined triphasic decay of MAP plasma levels was noticeable in the animals treated with DMSO solutions. A delayed concentration peak was often present when aqueous suspensions were used, so if is not feasible to fit the experiment with simple polyexponential equations. Model-independent pharmacokinetic analysis (statistical moment theory) revealed a significant dependence of plasma clearance and mean residence time on the dose administered in both conditions.Supported in part by contract CNR, No. 85.02282.44 (Progetto finalizzato Oncologia)