Saturable transport of gabapentin at the blood-brain barrier

Gabapentin readily crosses the blood-brain barrier and concentrates in brain tissue via an active transport process believed to be system-L. Blood-brain barrier system-L has a low K(m), making it particularly susceptible to substrate saturation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the fraction of gabapentin crossing the blood-brain barrier remains constant over a broad range of doses. Using a rat model, microdialysis techniques were employed to determine if fluctuations in gabapentin concentrations in the brain extracellular fluid (ECF) coincided with proportional changes in plasma concentrations. Area under the concentration-time curve was calculated for plasma (AUCplasma) and brain extracellular fluid (AUCECF). The ratios of AUFECF to AUCplasma (AUCratio) and brain extracellular fluid to midpoint plasma gabapentin concentration for each collection interval (Cratio) were determined to provide indicators of the relative (i.e. fractional) amount of gabapentin crossing the blood-brain barrier. Analysis of the association between AUCECF and AUCplasma using linear regression analysis revealed a small, but significant relationship (r = 0.62; p < 0.01). Although higher AUCECF values were obtained with higher AUCplasma values, changes in AUCECF were less than proportional to observed changes in AUCplasma. Blood-brain barrier saturation of gabapentin transport was evident as the AUCratio decreased with increased AUCplasma. Collectively, these results support a trend towards saturation at higher plasma concentrations of the carrier-mediated transport mechanism of gabapentin through the blood-brain barrier.