Contribution to the pharmacokinetics of amitriptyline

The clinical pharmacokinetics of amitriptyline were studied in four volunteers after the oral administration of 75 mg. Peak amitriptyline plasma concentrations ranged from 10.8 to 43.7 ng/ml. The disappearance was biphasic and followed first-order kinetics. The mean elimination half-life was 36.1 hours. The mean estimated first-pass metabolism of amitriptyline was 60 per cent. Significant quantities of the metabolite, nortriptyline, were produced although peak concentrations ranged from only 5.9 to 12.3 ng/ml. The relationship between these findings to clinical practice and earlier reports is discussed.