Remoxipride--a new potential antipsychotic compound. Tolerability and pharmacokinetics after single oral and intravenous administration in healthy male volunteers.

The tolerability and pharmacokinetics of remoxipride were studied in 18 healthy normal male volunteers. Increasing oral doses of 0.5-100 mg were given to eight male volunteers in one study (study I). In addition, an intravenous (IV) infusion of 20 mg remoxipride and a 20 mg oral dose were given in an open crossover study to ten males (study II). Remoxipride was well tolerated with respect to cardiovascular effects, clinical chemistry, body temperature and adverse effects in all subjects. Following IV administration, remoxipride plasma concentrations declined exponentially in five subjects and biexponentially in the remaining five. The mean apparent volume of distribution was 0.5 l/kg (SD = 0.10) and the mean half-life 4.1 h (range 2.6-6.6). The recovery of unchanged remoxipride in urine was 10-36%, and the mean renal clearance was 32 ml/min (SD = 13). Remoxipride was a low clearance drug with a total plasma clearance of about 120 ml/min (SD = 41). The mean oral bioavailability was 96%. There was a linear relationship between the peak plasma concentration as well as the area under the concentration versus time curve and the administered dose. A transient increase in plasma prolactin concentrations occurred but there were no effects on plasma growth hormone levels.