Abstract
Pharmacokinetics of a new capsaicin analog, DA-5018 were evaluated after a subcutaneous injection or topical application of $[^{14}C]$--labelled or unlabelled DA-5018 to rats and rabbits. After subcutaneous injection of $_{14}$c-labelled or unlabelled DA-5018, 0.5 mg/kg (equivalent to DA-5018) to rats, the plasma total activity peaked at 2 hr with the terminal half life of 5.34 hr, however, unlabelled-DA-5018 peaked at 1 hr with the terminal half life of 1.26 hr. Moreover, the AUC (0.726 versus 0.2337g hr/ml) and MRT (7.82 versus 3.55 hr) increased significantly based on total radioactivity compared with intact DA-5018. Above data indicated that DA-5018 is extensively metabolized in rats and the terminal half- life of the metabolite(5) had a longer half-life than that of DA-5018. The cumulative percentages of biliary excretion of dose after subcutaneous injection of $[^{14}C]$DA-5018 was 40.2%, however, the value was only 2.14% when unlabelled DA-5018 was injected. After topical application of 0.1% or 0.3% $_{14}$C-labelled or unlabelled DA-5018 cream, 500 mg/kg to rats, the plasma and tissue concentrations except applied skin were under the detection limit. After consecutive 7 days topical application of unlabelled DA-5018, 0.1% and 0.3% cream to rats, the plasma concentrations were also under the detection limit. But the urinary excretion of DA-5018 was significantly increased by repeated topical administration. After topical application of unlabelled DA-5018, 0.1% and 0.3% cream to rabbits, the plasma and urine concentrations were under the detection limit. Above data indicated that the skin permeation of DA-5018 was lower and the metabolism of DA-5018 was higher in rabbits than that in rats.