Rate-limiting steps in oral absorption of a leucotriene D4 antagonist in the beagle dog

Oral administration of a leucotriene D4 antagonist drug (1) in the Beagle dog at doses of 2, 20, 100, 300, and 800 mg/kg resulted in dose-dependent bioavailability values (4-50%). To understand the dose dependence of the absorption of 1 in the dog, initial rates of absorption of 1, which were estimated from Loo-Riegelman analysis of the concentration in blood data, were analyzed in terms of dissolution and absorption rates. From the Loo-Riegelman plots, the initial rates of absorption of 1 were estimated as 8.2, 41.9, 41.1, 76.1, and 72.8 micrograms.mL-1.h-1, respectively, for the doses given earlier. These data, which indicate leveling of the initial absorption rates at high doses, were consistent with an absorption model in which the dissolution rate is the rate-controlling step in the intestinal absorption of 1 at doses less than 100 mg/kg. The powder dissolution rate of 1 in 17 mM bile salt solution was estimated as 14 and 700 micrograms.mL-1.h-1 for amounts of 1 equivalent to the amounts given to dogs at 2- and 100-mg/kg doses, respectively. After consideration of the volume of distribution and the volume of intestinal fluid in the dog, the value of the initial dissolution rate was much lower than the initial absorption rates at the 2-mg/kg dose. Oral administration of 1 at 2 mg/kg in a 3% polysorbate 80 solution enhanced both the rate and the extent of absorption of the compound. These results confirm the validity of the conclusion that the intestinal absorption of 1 is limited by dissolution rate at low doses.