Systemic absorption of miconazole from the vagina

The serum concentrations of miconazole were measured in 11 healthy adult females for 72 hours following a single 1200 mg vaginal pessary. The mean peak serum miconazole concentration was 10.4 micrograms/l and the mean elimination half life was 56.8 h. The mean area under the serum concentration time curve was 967 micrograms/l.h. The calculated mean systemic bioavailability of the vaginal pessary was 1.4%. There was large intersubject variation in serum miconazole pharmacokinetics. This formulation may provide effective single dose treatment for vaginal candidosis.