[Study of serum concentrations and urinary excretion of secnidazole after oral administration in man. Comparison with tinidazole].

Secnidazole, a derivative of 5-nitro imidazole exhibits trichomonacid, amoebicid and antimicrobial properties; it has been studied in view of its biological fate in healthy volunteers (man and woman) comparatively with tinidazole. Both products were administered orally to the same volunteers at the single dose level of 2 g. The seric concentrations and the pharmacokinetic profile were determined up to the 72nd hour after drug administration. The whole urinary excretion (unchanged product + metabolites) during the same period was determined in percent of the administered dose level. Secnidazole is particularly different from tinidazole owing to its slower blood clearance. The apparent average half-life in the ten volunteers (5 men and 5 women) is about 17 hours for secnidazole and 13 hours for tinidazole. However, for both drugs, a difference between men and women was demonstrated: in female volunteers, the decrease in blood concentrations occurs a little quicker than in male volunteers. Regarding urinary excretion, it is also a little greater in female volunteers than in male volunteers.