Effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of the oral phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor udenafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

AIMS: Udenafil is a cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor developed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. The aim was to evaluate the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of udenafil. METHODS: An open, randomized, three-way crossover study was conducted. Fifteen healthy male volunteers received a single 200-mg oral dose of udenafil while fasting, after a low-fat meal, and after a high-fat meal separated by 7-day washout periods. Serial blood samples were taken up to 48 h after oral administration. RESULTS: Under fasting conditions, udenafil was rapidly absorbed and t(max) was observed typically 1.5 h after administration. The mean t(max) values after a low-fat meal and a high-fat meal were 2.6 and 2.1 h, respectively. The ratios (90% confidence intervals) of the geometric means compared with the fasting condition for C(max) and AUC(last) were 0.79 (0.70, 0.90) and 0.96 (0.89, 1.03) in the low fat-fed condition, respectively, and 1.01 (0.89, 1.15) and 1.03 (0.96, 1.11), respectively, in the high fat-fed condition. CONCLUSIONS: The t(max) of udenafil was delayed under the fed conditions. However, although the C(max) was reduced by approximately 21% in the low fat-fed state, overall bioavailability was not affected when taken with food.