Methylprednisolone sodium succinate in pediatric parenteral nutrition: influence of vehicle injection.

Many drugs can be administered in parenteral nutrient mixtures, but no work on the delivery of corticoids by such means is reported. We studied the influence of pediatric parenteral nutrient mixtures on the kinetic parameters of the corticoid methylprednisolone injected in an intravenous bolus in rabbits as its sodium succinate ester. Four groups of six male New Zealand rabbits were used. After extraction, the plasma drug concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The distribution volume of the ester and the clearance rates of the two entities (ester and methylprednisolone) were lowered in the presence of a lipid emulsion. The description of these pharmacokinetic parameters provides a basis for a preclinical study of 24h administration of methylprednisolone in a parenteral nutrient mixture.