Suprofen concentrations in human breast milk.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Lactation Studies
• Drug Metabolism

Background:

• Suprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for pain relief.
• Assessing drug safety during lactation is crucial for infant health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify suprofen levels in breast milk and plasma of nursing mothers.
• To determine the extent of suprofen transfer from maternal plasma to breast milk.

Main Methods:

• Six lactating women received a single 200 mg oral dose of suprofen.
• Plasma and milk samples were collected over 8 hours and analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• Protein binding of suprofen in plasma and milk was assessed via equilibrium dialysis.

Main Results:

• Maximum suprofen concentrations in milk ranged from 0.118-0.232 µg/ml, peaking at 1-2 hours post-dose.
• Peak plasma suprofen concentrations ranged from 13.8-28.3 µg/ml, occurring at 0.5-2 hours.
• Peak milk suprofen was 0.5-0.9% of peak plasma levels; the average milk/plasma AUC ratio was 1.4%.

Conclusions:

• Suprofen exhibits extensive plasma protein binding (99.4%) and minimal milk protein binding (10%).
• The low milk/plasma ratio suggests limited passive diffusion of suprofen into breast milk.
• Maternal intake of recommended suprofen doses is unlikely to result in significant infant exposure via breast milk.