Abstract
A novel in situ-gelling and mucoadhesive acetaminophen liquid suppository was developed to improve the patient compliance of conventional solid suppository. In this study, acetaminophen liquid suppository, Likipe $n_{R}$, ［aminophen/Poloxamer 407/Poloxamer 188/so4ium alginate (5/15/19/0.6%)] with relation temperature at 30-36 "C and suitable gel strength and bioadhesive force, dissolution pattern similar to conventional solid type suppository, Suspe $n_{R}$, was developed. Furthermore, the bioequivalence of two acetaminophen products was evaluated in 16 normal male volunteers (age 22-27 yr, body weight 56-72 kg) following sidle rectal administration. Test product was Likipe $n_{R}$ suppository (Dong-Wha Pharm. Corp., Korea)and reference product was Suspe $n_{R}$204-212 suppository (Hanmi Pharm. Corp., Korea). Both products contain 125 mg of acetaminophen. Four Suppositories of the test and the reference product were administered to the volunteers, respectively, by randomized two period cross-over study (2$\times$2 Latin square method). The determination of acetaminophen was accomplished using HPLC. Average drug concentrations at each sampling time and pharmacokinetic parameters calculated were not significantly different between two products (p>0.05); the area under the curve to last sampling time (24 hr) (AU $Co_{-2}$4h/) (30.14$\pm$8.64 vs 27.98$\pm$ 6.53 $\mu$g .h/ml), maximum plasma concentration ( $C_{max}$) (3.29$\pm$0.87 vs 3.60$\pm$0.66 $\mu$g/ml) and time to maximum plasma concentration ( $T_{max}$) (2.91 $\pm$0.55 vs 2.69$\pm$0.60 h). The differences of mean AUCo $_{24h}$, C-a. and T-between the two products (7.18%, 9.58% and 7.53%, respectively) were less than 20%. The power (1-7) and treatment difference ($\Delta$) for AU $Co_{24h}$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ were more than 0.8 and less than 0.2, respectively at $\alpha$=0.1. The confidence limits for AU $Co_{24h}$, $C_{max}$ and $T_{max}$ (-0.81 ~13.55%, -1.56~ 17.60 and -3.81 ~18.87%, respectively) were less than $\pm$ 20% at $\alpha$=0.1. These results suggest that the bioavailability of Likipe $n_{R}$ suppository is not significantly different from that of Suspe $n_{R}$ suppsitory. Therefore, two products are bio-equivalent based on the current results.results.lts.sults.results.lts.
