Pharmacokinetic study of two pharmaceutical preparations containing alkaloid vincamine administered orally to human subjects.

In a crossover study of six healthy volunteers the pharmacokinetics and the bioavailability of vincamine were studied after administration of two oral forms. All subjects received an oral dose of 60 mg vincamine. The plasma concentrations of the drug were determined by a specific and sensitive gas chromatographic method. In this kind of subject the drug generally follows a one-compartment kinetic model. The average value of Tmax is 1.4 +/- 0.5 h-1 with the tablets and 1 +/- 0.6 h-1 with the solution; the Cmax are, respectively, 155 +/- 82 micrograms . 1(-1) and 133 +/- 104 micrograms . 1(-1). The AUC are 443 +/- 156 micrograms . 1(-1) h with the tablets and 315 +/- 178 micrograms . 1(-1) h with the solution. The short elimination phases, 1.43 +/- 0.80 h with the tablets and 1.55 +/- 0.78 h with the solution should be taken into account during chronic administration.