Abbreviations: t max , time to reach the maximum concentration; C max , maximum plasma concentration; t 1/2 , half-life; AUC 0-24 , area under the plasma time curve up to last quantifiable time; AUC 0-∞ , area under the plasma time curve up to time infinity; k el , elimination rate constant; NCDs, non-communicable diseases; DGDA, directorate general of drug administration; TPR, total peripheral resistance
IntroductionThere is an emerging importance of bioequivalence and pharmacokinetics analysis of highly prescribed brand drugs to judge their therapeutic effectiveness, toxicity, and quality to ensure therapeutic validity and patient's safety. Statin classes of lipidlowering agents are most commonly used treatment intervention for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.1 Atorvastatin is an FDA approved synthetic lipid reducing agent under statin class. This drug, also known as 2-(4-fluorophenyl) -βR, δR-dihydroxy-5-(1-methyl ethyl)-3-phenyl-4(phenylamino) carbonyl]-1H-pyrrole-1-heptanoic acid (Figure 1), is a second generation 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitor.2 This synthetic HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor significantly lowers total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and plasma triglycerides in clinical studies.3 According to IMS Health, Lipitor, the pioneer brand of atorvastatin is the world's one of the biggest selling prescription medicines with cumulative sales in excess of $130 billion, but most of the principal brands are now prescribed worldwide as far cheaper generic medicines. In Bangladesh, about 50 atorvastatin brands with different strengths and dosage forms are available and their average sales volume is nearly 1.17 crore taka monthly in the national local market according to Bangladesh Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA). This indicates widespread prescribing of this cholesterol-lowering drug in Bangladesh. However, there is no bioequivalence data for any of existing 50 brands of atorvastatin. Dose-dependent lowering of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels have been noticed after oral administration of atorvastatin to patients with hypercholesterolemia and to patients who have hypertriglyceridemia. 4,5 The usual starting dose is 10mg atorvastatin daily. The dose should be adjusted in accordance with plasma lipid levels and can be increased to up to 80mg daily.
AbstractThe present study is aimed to investigate the single-dosing pharmacokinetics of two pharmaceutical formulations of atorvastatin 40mg tablet, test (T) sample (Stacor®) and reference (R) sample (Lipitor®) in Bengali subjects. An open-label, randomizedsequence, two-way, two-period crossover study was designed with 24 healthy Bengali male volunteers. Plasma samples collected before and over 0.5-72.0h after a single oral dose per subject. Samples were analyzed by solid phase extraction method and a validated LCMS/MS method. The non-compartmental pharmacokinetic model was used to measure pharmacokinetic parameters of peak plas...