[Pharmacokinetics of trovafloxacin: its clinical significance]

Trovafloxacin, once administrated by oral route, is rapidly absorbed and reaches its maximum seric concentration in about one hour. Alatrofloxacin is the prodrug, that is rapidly hydrolyzed to its original state when administered intravenously. Its bioavailability is equivalent when administered either oral or intravenously. It is a fluoroquinolone of extensive in vitro spectrum, with a higher activity for Gram positive coccus, anaerobic and atypical pneumonia-producing bacteria. The average half-life is around eleven hours, with an enhanced protein bound that allows to administrate it only once a day. The renal excretion is under 8%; it doesn't require any doses adjustment in renal insufficiency. Trovafloxacin reaches higher tissue and intracelular concentrations than classic fluoroquinolones. All these pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics allow to consider trovafloxacin as an interesting drug for the treatment of mixed infections or those resistant to the first line drugs.