Dược Động Học :
▧ Absorption :
The oral bioavailability of meperidine in patients with normal hepatic function is 50-60% due to extensive first-pass metabolism. Bioavailability increases to 80-90% in patients with hepatic impairment (e.g. liver cirrhosis). Meperidine is less than half as effective when administered orally compared to parenteral administration. One study reported that 80-85% of the drug administered intramuscularly was absorbed within 6 hours of intragluteal injection in health adults; however, inter-individual variation and patient-specific variable appear to cause considerable variations in absorption upon IM injection.
▧ Volume of Distribution :
Meperidine crosses the placenta and is distributed into breast milk.
▧ Protein binding :
60-80% bound to plasma proteins, primarily albumin and α1-acid glycoprotein. The presence of cirrhosis or active viral hepatitis does not appear to affect the extent of protein binding.
▧ Metabolism :
Meperidine is metabolized in the liver by hydrolysis to meperidinic acid followed by partial conjugation with glucuronic acid. Meperidine also undergoes N-demethylation to normeperidine, which then undergoes hydrolysis and partial conjugation. Normeperidine is about half as potent as meperidine, but it has twice the CNS stimulation effects.
▧ Route of Elimination :
Excreted in the urine. The proportion of drug that is excreted unchanged or as metabolites is dependent on pH. When urine pH is uncontrolled, 5-30% of the meperidine dose is excreted as normeperidine and approximately 5% is excreted unchanged. Meperidine and normeperidine are found in acidic urine, while the free and conjugated forms of meperidinic and normperidinic acids are found in alkaline urine.
▧ Half Life :
Initial distribution phase (t1/2 α) = 2-11 minutes; terminal elimination phase (t1/2 β) = 3-5 hours. In patients with hepatic dysfunction (e.g. liver cirrhosis or active viral hepatitis) the t1/2 β is prolonged to 7-11 hours.