Effects of food on absorption of mefenamic acid from two commercial capsules differing in bioavailability under the fasting state

The developability classification system: application of biopharmaceutics concepts to formulation development

A revised classification system for oral drugs was developed using the biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) as a starting point. The revised system is designed to have a greater focus on drug developability. Intestinal solubility, the compensatory nature of solubility and permeability in the small intestine and an estimate of the particle size needed to overcome dissolution rate limited absorption were all considered in the revised system. The system was then validated by comparison with literature on the in vivo performance of a number of test compounds. Observations on the test compounds were consistent with the revised classification, termed the developability classification system (DCS), showing it to be of greater value in predicting what factors are critical to in vivo performance than the widely used BCS.

[Variance of bioavailability of pharmaceutical preparations and analysis of factors affecting it]

Phenytoin (pulverized powder), mefenamic acid (capsule), and sulpiride (film-coated tablet) are currently available on the Japanese market. For absorption of these drugs from their pharmaceutical preparations, they must disintegrate and dissolve during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The bioavailability of these drugs differ among different pharmaceutical preparations and even for the same preparation. This led to a review of the influence of the features of pharmaceutical preparations and the physicochemical properties of film coating materials as well as the physiologic factors affecting drug bioavailability. The influence of coadministered drugs and concomitant intake of beverages and food on the bioavailability of drugs from pharmaceutical preparations is also described.