Effect of sodium/potassium salt (potash) on the bioavailability of ibuprofen in healthy human volunteers.

The influence of sodium/potassium salt water extract incorporated in a traditional meal on the bioavailability of Ibuprofen tablets 400mg dose was studied in 6 healthy human volunteers. There was a statistically significant decrease in the plasma levels of ibuprofen, and its metabolites, hydroxy-ibuprofen and carboxy-ibuprofen, respectively, when the meal containing sodium/potassium salt extract was administered with the ibuprofen tablets than when taken under fasting state or with the meal without the fruit extract. The Cmax, AUC0-6hr and Ka for ibuprofen decreased from 38.04 +/- 0.70microg/ml to 20.06 +/- 1.21microg/ml (p<0.05); 28.030 +/- 2.40microg/ml.hr to 14.180 +/- 1.12microg/ml.hr (p<0.05) and 1.048 +/- 0.02hr(-1) to 0.602 +/- 0.03hr(-1). Similarly, the Cmax for hydroxy-ibuprofen and carboxy-ibuprofen decreases from 43.04 +/- 0.76microg/ml to 27.21 +/- 0.24microg/ml (p<0.05) and 48 +/- 0.71microg/ml to 31.08 +/- 0.12microg/ml (p<0.05) respectively; while AUC0-6hr for hydroxy-ibuprofen decreased from 34.120 +/- 0.49microg/ml.hr to 16.410 +/- 0.27microg/ml.hr while that of carboxy-ibuprofen decreased from 36.121 +/- 1.97microg/ml.hr to 19.278 +/- 0.92microg/ml.hr respectively. The Kel for hydroxy-ibuprofen increased from 0.71 +/- 0.94 hr(-1) to 0.81 +/- 0.21 hr(-1) (p<0.05) respectively. The study has indicated that sodium/potassium salt extract significantly decreased the bioavailability of ibuprofen.