Doxepin kinetics.

The kinetics of doxepin (DOX) hydrochloride were studied in 7 volunteers after the oral administration of 75 mg. Peak plasma concentrations of DOX ranged from 8.8 to 45.8 ng/ml and were reached within 4 hr. The disappearance of DOX was biphasic and followed first-order kinetics. The mean DOX half life (t1/2) was 16.8 hr and in individuals ranged from 8.2 to 24.5 hr. The mean apparent volume of distribution was 20.2 L/kg and ranged from 9.1 to 33.3 L/kg. The estimated first-pass metabolism of DOX ranged from 55% to 87% of the oral dose assuming complete absorption. Significant quantities of the metabolite desmethyldoxepin (DMD) were produced. Peak levels of DMD ranged from 4.8 to 14.5 ng/ml and were reached between 2 and 10 hr after administration. The mean t1/2 of DMD was 51.3 hr and in individuals ranged from 33.2 to 80.7 hr. There was no correlation between the DOX and DMD t1/2s. The amount of DMD produced correlated with the plasma concentration of DOX and appears to explain the correlation between the steady-state concentrations of DOX and DMD in patients given DOX.

Protriptyline kinetics.

The kinetics of protriptyline were examined in 8 subjects after a single oral dose of 30 mg protriptyline hydrochloride. Peak protriptyline levels ranged from 10.4 to 22.3 ng/ml and were reached 6 to 12 hr after the oral dose. The mean protriptyline half-life (t1/2) was 74.3 hr and ranged from 53.6 to 91.7 hr in individual subjects, confirming the long t1/2 of protriptyline reported by Moody and associates. The estimated first-pass metabolism of protriptyline was relatively small, ranging from 10% to 25% of the oral dose, assuming complete absorption. The mean volume of distribution was 22.5 L/kg and ranged from 15.0 to 31.2 L/kg. No relationship was found between the kinetics of protriptyline and those of doxepin studied previously in 7 of the 8 subjects.