Bioavailability of erythromycin stearate: influence of food and fluid volume

The influence of various test meals and coadministered water volumes on erythromycin stearate bioavailability from orally dosed film-coated tablets was studied in healthy human subjects. Serum erythromycin levels were uniformly reduced by all test meals, with the reduction in mean peak serum levels varying from 47 to 60%. Serum erythromycin levels also were reduced significantly in fasted individuals when the accompanying water volume was reduced from 250 to 20 ml. The apparent drug absorption rate constant was not influenced by treatments. This result is probably due to rapid degradation of solubilized, unabsorbed drug in the GI tract. Higher and more uniform serum erythromycin levels are obtained when erythromycin stearate tablets are given on an empty stomach together with an adequate water volume.