ORAL ABSORPTION OF OFLOXACIN ADMINISTERED TOGETHER WITH ALUMINUM

A clinical study was carried out to establish the influence of aluminum on the oral absorption of ofloxacin. Ten healthy volunteers were included in a crossover study based on a Latin square design. The treatments that all volunteers received were A, consisting of 400 mg of ofloxacin, and B, consisting of 400 mg of ofloxacin plus 11 g of colloidal aluminum phosphate. The absorption constant and other ofloxacin parameters were calculated from data on levels in plasma by using model-independent calculation methods. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean values of the areas under the curve corresponding to the administration of ofloxacin alone and those of ofloxacin with aluminum. Regarding the other pharmacokinetic parameters, a significant difference between the absorption constants was found. The presence of aluminum reduces the absorption rate of this quinolone but does not modify the percentage of the absorbed dose.