Population pharmacokinetics of immediate-release and modified-release paracetamol and its major metabolites in a supratherapeutic dosing study

Abstract

Objectives

Overdose with paracetamol modified-release (MR) formulation, a bilayer tablet containing 69% slow-release component, has been increasing since its introduction to the market. However, little evidence exists for the management of MR paracetamol overdose. We aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model for immediate-release (IR) and MR paracetamol and its major metabolism, and quantitatively understand the formulation difference in toxicity assessment based on the nomogram line.

Methods

Data from a cross-over study design in nine healthy volunteers administered a single supratherapeutic oral dose (80 mg/kg) of either IR and MR paracetamol were available from a published study. Plasma concentrations for paracetamol and its metabolites glucuronide (APAPG) and sulfate conjugate (APAPS) for both formulations were measured and analysed with population pharmacokinetic (PK) method using NONMEM. Toxicity in both formulations was assessed by comparing the simulated paracetamol concentrations under different paracetamol dose levels with the 150 mg/L nomograms. The difference in the assessment was compared between the two formulations.

Results

Paracetamol concentrations for the IR formulation were described with a two-compartment model with first-order input and a lag time. The delayed time-course of MR paracetamol concentrations was best captured by a parallel absorption model in which the slow-release component was a serial zero-order then the first-order process. The formation of APAPG was linear, while APAPS concentrations were best fitted by a Michaelis-Menten process. The relative bioavailability of MR paracetamol compared to IR ($F_{MR/IR}$) was estimated as 0.81. The simulated probability of making different toxicity assessments based on nomogram line was increased with dose levels and was as high as 14.6% after 22 g IR or MR paracetamol ingested.

Conclusions

A joint parent-metabolite model to describe time-course profiles of both IR and MR paracetamol and its metabolites APAPG and APAPS concentrations was developed. Simulations from the model showed that toxicity assessment based on the 150 mg/L nomograms is not suitable in MR paracetamol overdoses.

Keywords:

• Paracetamol
• metabolite
• population pharmacokinetic
• modified release
• overdose
• nomogram
• hepatotoxicity

Acknowledgements

Jingyun Li was supported by a PhD scholarship from University of Otago during the conduct of research and preparation of the manuscript for this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).