Influence of food on the bioavailability of enalapril

In a randomized, two-period crossover study in 12 normal volunteers, serum and urine concentrations of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril and its active metabolite enalaprilat were determined following administration of a single 40-mg tablet of enalapril maleate administered both in the fasting state and with a standard breakfast. A 7-d interval separated the two treatment periods. Area under the serum concentration-time curves for enalaprilat and urinary recoveries for enalaprilat and total drug did not differ significantly between the fed and fasted conditions. The mean observed maximum serum concentration of enalaprilat was slightly higher for the fasting treatment, but the time to peak concentration was almost identical for the two treatments. Enalapril maleate is unlike the prototype angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril in that a standard meal does not appear to influence absorption of this new drug.