OBJECTIVETo compare the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence between domestic hydrochloric trimetazidine capsules and imported hydrochloric trimetazidine tablets in healthy male Chinese volunteers after single oral administration.

METHODSA single oral dose (test and reference formulations) was given to 24 healthy male Chinese subjects according to an open randomized crossover design. The blood samples were collected before and after administration. Plasma trimetazidine concentration was determined by HPLC-MS/MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by WinNonlin Ver 6.2.1 software.

RESULTSThe main pharmacokinetic parameters of domestic and imported formulation of trimetazidine were similar: C(max) (70.9 ± 15.3), (66.4 ± 13.8) µg/ml; t(max) (1.70 ± 0.72), (1.85 ± 0.55) h; t(1/2z) (4.70 ± 1.75), (4.77 ± 1.96) h; AUC(0-24 h) (481 ± 176), (469 ± 171) µg×h×ml(-1); AUC(0-∞) (511 ± 189), (500 ± 188) µg×h×ml(-1). The estimated 90% CIs for the ratio of C(max) and AUC(0-24 h) were also similar: 101.9% - 112.5% and 99.4% - 104.9%. The relative bioavailability of domestic formulation was (102.2 ± 8.3)%.

CONCLUSIONThe results demonstrates that the domestic hydrochloric trimetazidine capsules and imported hydrochloric trimetazidine tablets are bioequivalent.