PK Solutions 2.0
Noncompartmental
Pharmacokinetics Data Analysis
Reprint of the
noncompartmental pharmacokinetics equations cataloged in
the PK Solutions 2.0 User Guide. This reprint is also
available as a Microsoft Word™ document which can
be downloaded from Summit Research Services' web site. A
demonstration file, description, and ordering information
for PK Solutions 2.0 can also be obtained from the web
site. For additional information or inquiries please
contact David S. Farrier at the address below. The equations depicted in this HTML document
derive from embedded GIF files which are locally linked.
For proper viewing, keep the document and all GIF files
in the same directory or folder.
|
Dr. David S. Farrier
SUMMIT
Research Services
68911 Open Field Drive
Montrose, CO 81401 USA
Tel. (970) 249-1389
Fax. (970) 249-1360
Email: DFarrier@SummitPK.com
Web: http://www.SummitPK.com
Forward
PK Solutions 2.0 Noncompartmental
Pharmacokinetics Data Analysis
Copyright © 2000 by David S. Farrier, Summit Research Services
All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Copyrighted and licensed materials manufactured
in the United States of America. This document and any
accompanying software are protected by United States and
International Copyright Laws. This document is an excerpt taken
from the software manual, PK Solutions 2.0 User Guide, and
has been modified for independent distribution and publication.
The document may be reproduced and distributed provided that the
original contents are not altered in any way and that it is not sold.
Please contact Summit Research Services if you wish to use the document
for other purposes.
Limit of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:
The authors and publishers of this document make no
representation of warranties with respect to the accuracy or
completeness of the contents of the document or the accompanying
software, and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or
merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose, and shall
in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other
commercial damage, including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential, or other damages whatsoever. This
information is not intended for use in treating patients.
PK Solutions 2.0
Copyright © 2000 by David S.
Farrier, Summit Research Services, All Rights Reserved
About PK Solutions 2.0
Pharmacokinetics is the study of the time
course of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of
a drug or other substance in the body. PK Solutions is designed
to provide a fast and easy means of computing and graphing the
basic and most commonly reported pharmacokinetic parameters
associated with blood (plasma, serum) concentration-time data
following extravascular (oral) and intravenous dosing.
Approximately 60 pharmacokinetic parameters are computed for each
data set, including tables and graphs projecting multiple dose
regimes based on single dose results. No programming or
construction of equations are required. The program is automated,
operating entirely by click-and-point methods. In addition to
concentration-time data, PK Solutions can independently or
simultaneously compute and graph results using disposition
constants imported, for example, from a curve-fitting program or
from the literature. Once the calculation mode is selected, a few
mouse selections are all that is needed to analyze either type of
data and produce graphs and parameter tables ready for printing
and saving. Dynamic updating of tables and graphs provides a
means of trying out "what if" cases and makes PK
Solutions an ideal tool for learning the principles of
pharmacokinetic analysis.
Methodology
PK Solutions relies on the use of
noncompartmental methods of analysis for the estimation of
pharmacokinetic parameters. Two noncompartmental techniques are
employed and their results compared where appropriate in the
parameter tables. One technique is based on the estimation of the
area associated with the curve described by the
concentration-time profile. In this case, the classical
trapezoidal rule is used to compute the area under the curve
(AUC).
The second noncompartmental technique is based
on the method of residuals (also called curve stripping or
feathering) which resolves a curve into a series of up to three
exponential terms corresponding to the absorption, distribution,
and elimination phases occurring during the time course of the
drug in the blood. These exponential terms are used to calculate
the various single and multiple dose pharmacokinetic parameters
following well established textbook calculations. The curve
stripping approach assumes that the disposition phases of the
drug follow apparent first-order rate processes, which is
evidenced by linearity in the terminal portion of a semi-log
plot. This is, in fact, the case for the overwhelming majority of
drugs, making PK Solutions a widely useful tool.
Calculation of PK parameters based on curve
area and curve stripping data are called
"model-independent" because they are free of any
assumptions about the underlying compartmental model that the drug
obeys. Nonetheless, noncompartmental methods can yield results
that confer specific model characteristics on a drug's behavior.
The model-independent approach, which serves as the basis for PK
Solutions, can be contrasted with mathematical curve-fitting
programs that are specifically designed to elaborate
compartmental models and their descriptive equations. PK
Solutions focuses on producing graphs and tables representing
model-independent pharmacokinetic solutions rather than on
compartmental equations. While compartmental programs serve
special needs, the types of calculations produced by PK
Solutions are those most commonly reported in the tables of
drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics literature and will suffice
as an accurate model-independent description of drug
pharmacokinetics.
Typical Users
PK Solutions is intended to be used by
researchers, by those who need to determine and publish basic pharmacokinetic
parameters, by students who can make use of the program's
flexibility to study the principles of PK analysis, and by
pharmacists and physicians to view the effects of dosing regimens
on blood levels. It is designed to augment rather than replace or
compete with compartmental analysis, experimental curve-fitting,
or clinical dose prediction software. Any one who works with
blood level data in pharmaceutical or agrochemical product
development, veterinary and medical sciences, or other research and teaching areas will benefit
from the quick solutions and range of results afforded by PK Solutions 2.0.
Excel-Based Program
PK Solutions is intentionally developed
as a Microsoft Excel workbook in order to make use of Excel's
extensive feature set, its cross-platform compatibility between
Windows-PCs and Macintosh computers, and its ready integration
with other Microsoft Office software, intranets, external databases, and other software.
Unlike proprietary programs that require long learning curves and
are limited in scope to the effort programmers expend on the design and features, PK Solutions gives you
easy access to pharmacokinetic analysis as well as the power of Excel to
enhance, customize, and integrate your results with the rest of your working
world.
Noncompartmental Pharmacokinetics Equations
HyperContents
Single Dose Pharmacokinetics
Multiple Intravenous Dose Pharmacokinetics
Multiple Oral Dose Pharmacokinetics
Single Dose Pharmacokinetics |
General Disposition Parameters and Constants
 |
Dose Amount |
D |
Fraction of dose absorbed
Used to correct dose amount for some oral dose calculations. |
F |
Exponential Summation
Expression for sum of 1st order kinetic terms. |
for n exponential terms |
Y-Intercept
Coefficient of each exponential term. Note: the sign of the absorption coefficient is negative. |
 |
Slope |
 |
Rate constant |
 |
Elimination rate
constant |
 |
Half-life |
 |
Descriptive Curve Parameters
 |
Cinitial
Initial concentration extrapolated to time zero for i.v. dose. |
 |
Tmax (obs) Applies to oral doses only. |
 |
Cmax (calculated)
For biexponential oral data only. |
where V is Vd (area). |
Tmax (calculated)
For biexponential oral data only. |
where and are the apparent absorption and elimination rate constants, respectively. |
Lag time For biexponential oral data only. |
where and are the apparent absorption and elimination rate constants, respectively. |
Curve Area Calculations
 |
AUC(0-t) (obs area)
Trapezoid calculation of AUC using observed data
points only (not extrapolated to infinity). Useful when
final concentration values tend to exaggerate total AUC. |
where n is the number of data points. |
AUC (area) Total AUC computed by combining AUC(0-t) with an extrapolated value. |
where is the last concentration. |
AUC (expo) Total AUC computed using exponential terms. |
 |
% of AUC (expo) Percent each exponential term contributes to the total AUC. |
 |
Statistical Moment Calculations
 |
AUMC (area)
Calculation of total area under the first-moment curve (plot of Ct
vs t) by combining trapezoid calculation of AUMC(0-t)
and extrapolated area. |
 +  |
AUMC (expo) Total AUMC computed using exponential terms. |
 |
% of AUMC (expo)
Percent each exponential term contributes to the total AUMC. |
 |
MRT (area)
Mean Residence Time calculated using trapezoid area calculations extrapolated to infinity. |
where both area terms use trapezoidal calculations. |
MRT (expo) Mean Residence Time calculated using exponential terms. |
 |
Volume of Distribution Calculations
 |
Vc (initial central compartment)
Apparent volume of the central
compartment for i.v. doses only. |
 |
Vd (obs area)
Apparent volume of distribution based on AUC(0-t) trapezoid calculation and elimination rate.
Use when total AUC (area) is exaggerated due to high terminal concentration values. |
 |
Vd (area)
Apparent volume of distribution based on trapezoid AUC (area) and elimination rate. Applies mainly
to i.v., but also to oral if complete absorption (F=1) is assumed. |
 |
Vd (area) / kg
Apparent volume of distribution normalized by animal weight. Uses same equation as Vd (area). |
 |
Vd (expo)
Apparent volume of distribution calculated from exponential terms. |
where is the elimination rate |
Vss (area) Apparent
volume of distribution at steady state estimated
graphically from trapezoidal total area measurements.
Applies to iv dose.
|
 |
Vss (expo)
Apparent volume of distribution at steady state estimated from exponential terms. Applies only
after iv and assumes elimination from central compartment. |
 |
Systemic Clearance Calculations
 |
CL(sys) (obs area)
Systemic clearance based on AUC(0-t)
trapezoid calculation. Use when total AUC (area) is
exaggerated due to high last concentration. |
 |
CL (area)
Systemic clearance based on trapezoid AUC (area). Applies mainly
to i.v. data. Limited to oral data only if complete absorption (F=1) is assumed. |
 |
CL (area) / kg
Systemic clearance normalized by animal weight. Uses same equation as CL (area). |
 |
CL (expo) Systemic clearance calculated using exponential terms. |
 |
Half-life based on Vd and CL Alternate calculation of half-life using
Vd (area) and CL (area). For i.v. data only. |
 |
Two-compartment Open Model Microconstants (for comparison)
 |
k12
Microconstant calculated using exponentials. Applies to 2 compartment i.v. dose data only. |
 |
k21
Microconstant calculated using exponentials. Applies to 2 compartment i.v. dose data only. |
 |
k10
Microconstant calculated using exponentials. Applies to 2 compartment i.v. dose data only. |
 |
Multiple Intravenous Dose Pharmacokinetics |
General
 |
Dose Interval (tau)
Time span between dosing intervals. Distinguish from time after dose (t). |
tau Assume constant dose interval |
First Dose Concentration Calculations
 |
C1(max)
Maximum concentration after first dose interval (tau). Equal to Cinitial |
 |
C1(min) Minimum concentration at end of first dose interval (tau). |
 |
C1(ave)
Average concentration during first dose interval (tau)
. |
 |
Prediction of Steady State Parameters
 |
Css(min) Minimum concentration during any dosing interval at steady state. |
 |
Css(min)
Minimum concentration during any dosing interval at steady state. Included on graph. |
 |
Css(max) - Css(min)
Difference between peak and trough concentration during steady state. |
 |
Css(ave)
Average concentration at steady state. |
 |
Css(ave) (area)
Average concentration at steady state calculated from trapezoidal AUC data for a single dose. |
 |
Accumulation Factors
 |
R based on Css(max)/C1(max)
Accumulation ratio based on maximum concentrations after first dose and at steady state. |
 |
R based on Css(min)/C1(min)
Accumulation ratio based on minimum concentrations after first dose and at steady state. |
 |
R based on Css(ave)/C1(ave)
Accumulation ratio based on average concentrations after first dose and at steady state. |
 |
Time to Reach Percent of Steady State
 |
To reach 95% Css(ave)
Time required to reach 95% of average steady state concentration.
Assumes one-compartment characteristics apply. |
where is the fraction
of the steady state concentration. |
To reach 99% Css(ave)
Time required to reach 95% of average steady state concentration. Assumes one-compartment
characteristics apply. |
where is the fraction
of the steady state concentration. |
Ad Hoc Calculations
 |
Calculated loading dose
Loading dose required to produce an immediate steady state minimum concentration, Css(min). |
 |
Total time through Nth dose Total time elapsed between first dose
(t=0) and specified dose (N). |
 |
C(ave) during Nth dose
Average concentration during any dose interval (N). Becomes Css(ave) when steady state reached. |
 |
Fraction of Css(ave) after N doses
Fraction of the ultimate average steady state concentration reached after N doses. |
where is the fraction of the steady state concentration. |
Css at t after ss dose Steady state concentration at any time (t)
during a dosing interval at steady state. |
 |
Conc. at any time and dose Computes the concentration at any time
during a dosing interval. Enter both time (t) and dose interval (N). |
 |
Multiple Oral
Dose Pharmacokinetics |
General and Graphing Functions
 |
Dose Interval (tau)
Constant time span between dosing intervals. Distinguish from time after dose (t). |
(tau) Assumes equal dose intervals |
Graphing Function
The graphing function is based on a mathematical generalization of the graphical superimposition
principle. It involves the addition of a decay function (CN) to the initial
concentration (C1)at repeated time points for a progressive series of doses
(N). Assumes constant dose intervals during the postdistribution phase. |
where

and

|
First Dose Concentration Values
 |
C1(max) Observed maximum concentration taken from data set. |
 |
C1(min) Minimum concentration at end of first dose interval (tau). |
 |
C1(ave)
Average concentration during
first dose interval (tau). |
 |
Prediction of Steady State Parameters
 |
Css(max) Computed from a simplification of the graphing function to a
steady state form as shown. The Css(max) is evaluated as the maximum concentration during the steady
state dosing interval. |
 where

|
Css(min) Computed using same steady state equation as Css(max) and
evaluating the minimum concentration during a steady state dose interval. |
Same as above. |
Css(max) - Css(min)
Difference between peak and trough concentration during steady state. |
 |
Css(ave) Average concentration at steady state. |
 |
Css(ave) (area)
Average concentration at steady state calculated from trapezoidal
AUC data for a single dose. |
 |
Accumulation Factors
 |
R based on Css(min)/C1(min) Accumulation factor based on
elimination rate constant. |
 |
R based on Css(ave)/C1(ave) Accumulation ratio based on
average concentrations after first dose and at steady state. |
 |
Additional Oral Dose Calculations
 |
Tmax (1st
dose, observed) Observed time of largest concentration value from data set. |
 |
Tmax (1st
dose, calculated) Calculation of time at which
maximum concentration occurs after a single dose. Applies
to 1-compartment characteristics, but calculated also to
illustrate magnitude for 2-compartments. |
 where is the absorption rate
and is the elimination rate. |
Tmax(ss) Calculation
of time at which maximum concentration occurs after
dosing during steady state. Applies to 1-compartment
characteristics, but calculated also to illustrate
magnitude for 2-compartments. |

where is the absorption rate
and is the elimination rate. |
Bibliography
Milo Gibaldi and Donald Perrier, Pharmacokinetics , Second edition (Marcel Dekker,
New York, NY), 1982.
Robert E. Notari, Biopharmaceutics
and Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Fourth edition (Marcel Decker,
New York, NY), 1987.
Malcolm Roland and Thomas N. Tozer, Clinical Pharmacokinetics - Concepts and Applications,
Second edition (Lea & Febiger, Malvern, PA), 1989.
Francis L.S. Tse and James M. Jaffe, Preclinical Drug Disposition - A Laboratory Handbook
(Marcel Dekker, New York, NY), 1991.
Peter G. Welling, Pharmacokinetics:
Processes and Mathematics (American Chemical Society,
Washington, DC), 1986.
Peter G. Welling, Pharmacokinetics:
Principles and Applications (American Chemical Society,
Washington, DC), 1987.
Copyright © 1999 by Summit Research Services, All Rights Reserved Worldwide
This document is protected by USA and International copyright laws.
No part of this document may be reused, copied, or distributed for commercial use
without prior written approval from Summit Research Services.
Contact: dfarrier@summitpk.com
This site is located at http://www.summitpk.com