Evaluation of the absorption from some commercial sustained-release theophylline products

Absorption of theophylline from three commerical products labeled as sustained release was compared to the absorption from a standard uncoated tablet (Searle 200-mg aminophylline tablet) in a single-dose study. Aminodur tablets (Cooper) and Slophyllin Gyrocap capsules (Dooner) had bioavailability (100.2% +/- 19.8% and 98.5% +/- 13.8%) statistically indistinguishable from that of the standard but showed significantly slower absorption (peak times of 10.4 +/- 2.8 and 4.36 +/- 1.35 hr) and lower peak plasma concentrations (13.9 +/- 4.5 and 22.6 +/- 3.5 micrograms/ml/g dose) than the standard (tpeak, 1.52 +/- 0.45 hr; Cpeak, 28.1 +/- 6.2 micrograms/ml/g dose). The time of the plasma concentration peak (2.47 +/- 1.38 hr) after a dose of Tedral S.A. (Warner/Chilcott) was not statistically different from that after the standard, but both the peak concentration (16.0 +/- 3.9 micrograms/ml/g dose) and availability (76.0 +/- 18.4%) were. Multiple-dose projections from single-dose data indicate that of the three test products only Aminodur maintains reasonably constant interdose plasma levels during 12 hoursly dosing. With an 8 hourly dosing schedule Gyrocaps also might be satisfactory. Reasonable predictions of the plasma concentrations arising from Aminodur doses have been made using a single-compartment body model and assuming input from an outer followed by an inner layer of the tablet.