Effect of dose on bioavailability of oral digoxin

Summary Nine healthy volunteers received single 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg doses of oral digoxin tablets in random sequence on five occasions separated by at least 4 weeks. Urinary excretion of immunoassayable digoxin was determined from 8 consecutive 24 h urine samples collected after each dose. Mean values of cumulative urinary excretion of digoxin at the 5 doses were: 40.9, 35.6, 36.4, 34.1, and 33.5% of the dose (F=0.64; d. f.=4.32; N. S.). Mean values of urinary excretion half-life were: 2.48, 2.03, 2.20, 2.07, and 1.87 days (F=2.87; d. f.=4.32;p=0.05). Thus, the bioavailability of orally administered digoxin tablets in healthy volunteers is dose-independent over an 8-fold range of doses.Supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Federal Republic of Germany; by Sandoz Studienstiftung, Basel, Switzerland; and by Grant MH-12279 from the United States Public Health Service