Pharmacokinetics of methadone during maintenance therapy: pulse labeling with deuterated methadone in the steady state.

A technique is presented for study of steady state kinetics of methadone using pulse labeling with deuterated methadone (d3) and mass fragmentography to measure both unlabeled and labeled methadone in blood. Seven subjects maintained on methadone for at least 10 months were admitted to a closed metabolic ward. The daily dose of unlabeled methadone (d0) was substituted by one dose of methoadone-d3 and plasma levels of methadone-d0 and methadone-d3 were followed for 48 h using a precise (SD +/- 5%) and sensitive (30 pmol/ml) mass fragmentographic technique. Plasma half-lives (T1/2) for both methadone-do and methadone-d3 were calculated from samples obtained 8--24 H following the dose of methadone-d3. The t1/2 of oral methadone-d3 was shorter (22 +/- 2 h) than that of methadone-d0 (52 +/- 20 h). The same pattern was observed after intravenous administration. The results indicate multiple pools of methadone in the body.