[The pharmacokinetics of pranoprofen in humans]

The pharmacokinetics of pranoprofen, 2-(5H-[1]benzopyrano[2,3-b]pyridin-7-yl) propionic acid (I) in humans were examined. 1-O-Acylglucuronide of I (II) and its isomer (III) were isolated from the human urine after oral administration of I. The stability of II was tested in order to establish the suitable conditions for the storage and handling of biological samples. Maximum stability of II was found at pH 3-4. Unchanged drugs, II and III were detected in the human plasma after oral administration of I. Plasma concentrations of these compounds reached the maximum at 1-2 h after the administration and thereafter decreased biphasically. From the urinary sample, 1-O-acylglucoside of I (IV) was detected in addition to unchanged drugs, II and III. Within 24 h after dosing, 1.3, 84.0, 7.0 and 0.6% of the dose were excreted as I, II, III and IV, respectively and the total urinary excretion amounted to 92.9% in term of unchanged drug.