The rate and extent of calcium bioavailability from two oral dosage forms in rats

The purpose of the present work was to compare oral bioavailability of calcium from two calcium preparations, Calcium Sandoz forte 500 mg and Calcium Spofa effervescens. The pharmacokinetic study was carried out on rats, and plasma levels of 45Ca after administration of labelled calcium solutions were determined. Appropriate equations describing the two-compartment open model and the one-compartment model with first order absorption were fitted to the observed i.v. and oral data, respectively, using weighted nonlinear least-squares regression analysis. The extent and the time profile of the rate of 45Ca systemic bioavailability were assessed. Both parameters suggested identical bioavailability of calcium from the two dosage forms compared.