Pharmacokinetic approach to equilibrium between ketanserin and ketanserin-ol

The metabolic reduction-oxidation equilibrium between ketanserin and ketanserin-ol was studied after oral dosing of both substances to two healthy volunteers. Comparison of plasma Cmax and AUCs indicated that the equilibrium was shifted towards ketanserin-ol. There is evidence that ketanserin-ol elimination is the slowest step dictating the terminal half-life of ketanserin.