Fat contents of meals and bioavailability of griseofulvin in man.

ABSTRACT

The bioavailability of griseofulvin was followed in twelve healthy volunteers by measuring the urinary excretion of the major metabolite 6-demethylgriseolfulvin, after each volunteer had ingested one 500 mg griseofulvin tablet under (1) fasting conditions, (2) immediately after a typical low-fat and (3) high-fat Nigerian meals. An increase of about 70 and 120% absorption occurred with the ingestion of the low-fat and high-fat meals respectively compared to the fasting state (P less than 0.01). The maximum excretion rates of the free metabolite (Vmax.) were also significantly increased (P less than 0.01) following consumption of low and high fat meals. Our results thus suggest that the higher the fat content of the meals the higher the enhancement of the bioavailability of griseofulvin in man.