[Pharmacokinetics of rifampicin administered intravenously to pulmonary tuberculosis patients]

Pharmacokinetics of rifampicin studied in 15 patients after its intravenous administration in a dose of 10 mg/kg was described by a two-compartment model. The drug levels in serum and urine were determined with a chemical method. At the moment of the infusion discontinuation the maximum drug levels in serum averaged to 14.05 micrograms/ml. The mean values of the total clearance, distribution of the kinetic volume and half-lives were 93.2 ml/(h X kg), 1016.1 ml/kg and 8.1 h respectively. Cumulative excretion of the total rifampicin within 24 hours amounted to 19.4 per cent of the administered dose, the proportions of the main metabolite (25-O-desacetyl rifampicin) and intact rifampicin being equal to 29 and 71 per cent respectively. The renal and nonrenal clearance of rifampicin amounted to 14.2 and 79 ml/(h X kg) respectively.