Stereoselective disposition of indoprofen in surgical patients

The pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers of indoprofen were determined after intravenous administration of the racemate to 10 surgical patients. The mean volume of distribution was 8.97 +/- 2.21 (s.d.) 1 for the pharmacologically active S(+)-enantiomer and 12.60 +/- 4.21 1 for the R(-)-enantiomer (P less than 0.001). The corresponding values for clearance were 32.2 +/- 11.1 ml min-1 and 48.8 +/- 15.5 ml min-1 (P less than 0.001). There was no significant difference in mean terminal half-life between the enantiomers.