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Bioavailability: Overview

Bioavailability: Overview

Bioavailability refers to the proportion of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation in its active, unaltered form. It is a crucial pharmacokinetic parameter that determines the effectiveness of a drug in achieving its intended therapeutic outcomes. The route of administration significantly influences bioavailability, with intravenous administration achieving 100% bioavailability as the drug directly enters the bloodstream. In contrast, oral administration often results in...

Bioavailability: Overview

Bioavailability: Overview

Bioavailability refers to the proportion of an unaltered drug that, after administration, enters the systemic circulation and can be distributed to the desired action site. Factors such as gastrointestinal (GI) absorption and liver biotransformation influence the bioavailability of a drug when it is administered orally. When a drug is administered intravenously, it enters the systemic circulation directly; by definition, its bioavailability is assumed to be 100%. The bioavailability of an...

Bioavailability: Influencing Factors

Bioavailability: Influencing Factors

Bioavailability refers to the extent and rate at which a drug reaches systemic circulation in its active form. Extent refers to the amount of the drug that makes it into circulation, while rate is the speed at which it enters circulation. It is influenced by several factors critical for optimizing drug formulations, dosing regimens, and therapeutic outcomes.Physicochemical properties of drugs and formulationsThe solubility, stability, and dissolution rate of a drug significantly impact its...

Sulfur Assimilation

Sulfur Assimilation

Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to become...

Factors Influencing Bioavailability: First-Pass Elimination

Factors Influencing Bioavailability: First-Pass Elimination

When a drug is taken orally, it undergoes a journey starting from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, passing through the portal vein, reaching the liver, and finally entering the systemic circulation. This process involves the absorption of the drug across the GI tract. The liver is the primary site for metabolizing the drug, with some metabolism also occurring in the gut wall. This journey significantly reduces the quantity of the drug that reaches the systemic circulation, a phenomenon known as...

Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients

Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients

Bioavailability studies are essential for evaluating a drug's therapeutic efficacy and understanding its absorption patterns under various physiological conditions. Conducting such studies on target patient populations provides more relevant data by simulating real-world disease states. However, practical challenges often necessitate the use of young, healthy adult volunteers as study subjects.Patients may exhibit altered drug absorption patterns due to the effects of the disease itself,...

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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells

Published on: May 16, 2019

Zinc bioavailability and homeostasis.

K Michael Hambidge¹, Leland V Miller, Jamie E Westcott

¹Department of Pediatrics, Section of Nutrition, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA. michael.hambidge@ucdenver.edu

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

|March 5, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Zinc absorption is primarily regulated by transporters and saturation kinetics, influenced by dietary intake and phytate. Phytate significantly impacts zinc bioavailability, doubling requirements with high intake, while intestinal excretion also plays a key role in homeostasis.

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Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay

Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay

Published on: June 2, 2023

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Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells

Published on: May 16, 2019

Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay

Characterizing Mammalian Zinc Transporters Using an In Vitro Zinc Transport Assay

Published on: June 2, 2023

Area of Science:

Human Nutrition
Mineral Metabolism
Gastroenterology

Background:

Zinc is a vital micronutrient with significant biological, clinical, and public health implications.
Maintaining whole-body zinc homeostasis relies on enterocyte transporters and absorption kinetics.
Dietary factors, particularly phytate, critically influence zinc bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the mechanisms regulating zinc absorption and homeostasis.
To quantify the impact of dietary factors, especially phytate, on zinc absorption efficiency.
To refine estimates of zinc requirements based on absorption and excretion dynamics.

Main Methods:

Modeling zinc absorption as a function of dietary zinc and phytate intake.
Analyzing physiological factors influencing zinc absorption, including transporters and saturation kinetics.
Investigating the regulation of endogenous intestinal zinc excretion in response to absorption and status.

Main Results:

Dietary phytate is the primary factor impairing zinc bioavailability, with models accounting for over 80% of absorption variability.
Maximal zinc absorption in adults is estimated at approximately 6 mg/day.
Dietary requirements for zinc double with 1000 mg of dietary phytate per day.
Intestinal excretion of endogenous zinc is regulated by recent absorption and zinc status.

Conclusions:

Zinc homeostasis is maintained through regulated absorption by enterocytes and controlled intestinal excretion.
Phytate significantly reduces zinc absorption, necessitating higher dietary intake to meet requirements.
Further research into phytate's effect on endogenous intestinal zinc losses is warranted.