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On definition and use of the term bioavailability
A Rescigno1, A K Thakur, A Marzo
1School of Pharmacy, University of Parma, Italy.
Arzneimittel-Forschung
|October 1, 1994
Summary
Bioavailability calculations can be misleading if the rate of absorption is ignored. This is especially true for endogenous substances, where the term bioavailability needs precise definition.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacokinetics
- Drug Metabolism and Disposition
Background:
- Bioavailability is a key parameter in drug development and pharmacokinetics.
- Current definitions often overlook the rate of absorption, a critical factor in drug performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the critical importance of the rate of absorption in bioavailability assessments.
- To clarify the ambiguity of bioavailability for endogenous substances.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of bioavailability models.
- Examination of the impact of absorption rate on pharmacokinetic interpretation.
Main Results:
- Excluding the rate of absorption can lead to significant misinterpretations of bioavailability.
- The term bioavailability is ambiguous for endogenous substances without specifying exogenous or total substance availability.
Conclusions:
- Accurate bioavailability assessment requires consideration of absorption rate.
- Clearer definitions of bioavailability are needed, particularly for endogenous compounds.