Pharmacokinetic study of ebrotidine administered in multiple doses to healthy volunteers for 4 days

The safety of ebrotidine (N-[(E)-[[2-[[[2-[(diaminomethylene)amino]-4- thiazolyl]methyl]thio]ethyl]amino] methylene]-4-bromo-benzenesulfonamide, CAS 100981-43-9, FI-3542), a new H2-receptor antagonist with gastroprotective activity, was assessed and its main pharmacokinetic parameters were determined in order to establish the dose linearity after the repeated administration of three different dose levels. The study was carried out in a group of 8 healthy volunteers of either sex, aged between 20 to 29 years. Oral doses of ebrotidine were administered in a randomized, single-blind design. Volunteers remained in the Unit for two days at each of the three study phases with washout intervals of 2 weeks and received seven doses of ebrotidine (150, 300 and 500 mg b.i.d). Pharmacological evaluation included vital signs, laboratory tests, adverse events and blood and urine samplings for pharmacokinetic analysis. Ebrotidine was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. The results showed a good tolerability of ebrotidine after the administration of seven doses for 4 days, with no changes in the vital signs or laboratory parameters. No clinically significant dose-related adverse events were reported during the study. The absorption of ebrotidine was relatively rapid (tmax approximately 2 h) and linear within the dose range from 150 to 500 mg. Drug biotransformation was linear with doses tested, and no metabolic saturation occurred. The terminal elimination half-life of ebrotidine was between 7 and 11 h or even longer. There was no accumulation of ebrotidine and the steady state was reached, regardless of the dose administered, within the first 24-48 h.