Effect of food on absorption of indoprofen administered orally to man in two dosage forms.

The influence of food on the bioavailability of two oral dosage forms (100-mg capsules and 200-mg tablets) of indoprofen, a new propionic acid derivative with marked anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, has been investigated. Plasma levels and urinary excretion of indoprofen were determined both in the fasting state and after a standard meal in healthy volunteers after administration of two 100-mg capsules (4 subjects) and of one 200-mg tablet (6 subjects). Indoprofen in biological fluids was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The extent of absorption from tablets was not affected by food as indicated from the values of the total area under plasma level curves and urinary excretion of the drug. The rate of absorption was faster after meal than in the fasting state. The opposite was found for capsules, which showed a slightly delayed absorption after food. The results suggest that food may differently influence the absorption pattern of different pharmaceutical forms of the same drug.