Single-dose pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone in healthy Chinese adults

The pharmacokinetics of ceftriaxone were investigated in six healthy mainland Chinese adults (four males and two females). A single 1.0-g dose was administered intravenously or intramuscularly in a two-way crossover design. Plasma and saliva samples were collected on 11 occasions between 0 and 36 h after dosing. Ceftriaxone was not detected in any saliva samples. The mean volume of distribution and mean elimination half-life of ceftriaxone in plasma were 8.5 liters and 8.1 h, respectively. The mean total body clearance after intravenous administration was 0.68 liter/h. The mean Tmax and Cmax after intramuscular injection were 1.4 h and 131 micrograms/ml, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curves after intravenous and intramuscular administrations were 1,507 and 1,493 micrograms X h/ml, respectively. The bioavailability for a 1.0-g intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone was calculated to be 100%. These pharmacokinetic parameters for ceftriaxone in healthy Chinese adults were very similar to those previously reported in the literature. Thus, ceftriaxone may be administered to treat Chinese patients without any major modification in the standard dosing regimen.