Pharmacokinetics of carminomycin in man: biweekly schedule vs single dose every three weeks

Carminomycin was administered to five patients at a dose of 7.5 mg/m2 twice weekly. Plasma and urine samples were obtained during two subsequent 72-hr periods following drug administration, and assayed for carminomycin (C) and carminomycinol (Col) by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Distribution of carminomycin was rapid and drug levels decreased below the detection limit (5 X 10(-9)M) within 24 hr. Carminomycinol appeared very quickly and surpassed carminomycin levels in 10 min-4 hr, disappearing very slowly, with a half-life of 40-98 hr. No major differences in pharmacokinetic behavior were found when comparing the five patients in this study with patients who received 18 mg/m2, as described in a previous report. After the second dose of carminomycin in the 7.5 mg/m2 twice weekly schedule, however, carminomycin pharmacokinetics were found to be altered in comparison with the first dose, the most pronounced difference being an increase in the t1/2 for Col from 65 +/- 28 to 173 +/- 81 hr.