how asthma is treated

The empirical formula is: C 31 H 33 N 3 O 6 S

Zafirlukast, a fine white to pale yellow amorphous powder, is practically insolublein water how asthma is treated. It is slightly soluble in methanol and freely soluble in tetrahydrofuran,dimethylsulfoxide, and acetone how asthma is treated.

ACCOLATE is supplied as 10 and 20 mg tablets for oral administration how asthma is treated.

Inactive Ingredients: Film-coated tablets containing croscarmellose sodium,lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, hypromellose,and titanium dioxide how asthma is treated.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Mechanism of Action
Zafirlukast is a selective and competitive receptor antagonist of leukotrieneD 4 and E 4 (LTD 4 and LTE 4 ), components of slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis(SRSA) how asthma is treated. Cysteinyl leukotriene production and receptor occupation have been correlatedwith the pathophysiology of asthma, including airway edema, smooth muscle constriction,and altered cellular activity associated with the inflammatory process, whichcontribute to the signs and symptoms of asthma how asthma is treated. Patients with asthma were foundin one study to be 25-100 times more sensitive to the bronchoconstricting activityof inhaled LTD 4 than nonasthmatic subjects how asthma is treated.

In vitro studies demonstrated that zafirlukast antagonized the contractileactivity of three leukotrienes (LTC 4 , LTD 4 and LTE 4 ) in conducting airwaysmooth muscle from laboratory animals and humans how asthma is treated. Zafirlukast prevented intradermalLTD 4 -induced increases in cutaneous vascular permeability and inhibited inhaledLTD 4 -induced influx of eosinophils into animal lungs how asthma is treated. Inhalational challengestudies in sensitized sheep showed that zafirlukast suppressed the airway responsesto antigen; this included both the early- and late-phase response and the nonspecifichyperresponsiveness how asthma is treated.

In humans, zafirlukast inhibited bronchoconstriction caused by several kindsof inhalational challenges how asthma is treated. Pretreatment with single oral doses of zafirlukastinhibited the bronchoconstriction caused by sulfur dioxide and cold air in patientswith asthma how asthma is treated. Pretreatment with single doses of zafirlukast attenuated the early-and late-phase reaction caused by inhalation of various antigens such as grass,cat dander, ragweed, and mixed antigens in patients with asthma how asthma is treated. Zafirlukastalso attenuated the increase in bronchial hyperresponsiveness to inhaled histaminethat followed inhaled allergen challenge how asthma is treated.

Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability:
Absorption
Zafirlukast is rapidly absorbed following oral administration how asthma is treated. Peak plasma concentrationsare generally achieved 3 hours after oral administration how asthma is treated. The absolute bioavailabilityof zafirlukast is unknown how asthma is treated. In two separate studies, one using a high fat andthe other a high protein meal, administration of zafirlukast with food reducedthe mean bioavailability by approximately 40% how asthma is treated.

Distribution
Zafirlukast is more than 99% bound to plasma proteins, predominantly albumin how asthma is treated. The degree of binding was independent of concentration in the clinically relevantrange how asthma is treated. The apparent steady-state volume of distribution (V SS /F) is approximately70 L, suggesting moderate distribution into tissues how asthma is treated. Studies in rats using radiolabeledzafirlukast indicate minimal distribution across the blood-brain barrier how asthma is treated.

Metabolism
Zafirlukast is extensively metabolized how asthma is treated. The most common metabolic products arehydroxylated metabolites which are excreted in the feces how asthma is treated. The metabolites ofzafirlukast identified in plasma are at least 90 times less potent as LTD 4receptor antagonists than zafirlukast in a standard in vitro test of activity how asthma is treated. In vitro studies using human liver microsomes showed that the hydroxylated metabolitesof zafirlukast excreted in the feces are formed through the cytochrome P4502C9 (CYP2C9) pathway how asthma is treated. Additional in vitro studies utilizing human liver microsomesshow that zafirlukast inhibits the cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 and CYP2C9 isoenzymesat concentrations close to the clinically achieved total plasma concentrations(see Drug Interactions ) how asthma is treated.

Excretion
The apparent oral clearance (CL/f) of zafirlukast is approximately 20 L/h how asthma is treated. Studiesin the rat and dog suggest that biliary excretion is the primary route of excretion how asthma is treated. Following oral administration of radiolabeled zafirlukast to volunteers, urinaryexcretion accounts for approximately 10% of the dose and the remainder is excretedin feces how asthma is treated. Zafirlukast is not detected in urine how asthma is treated.

In the pivotal bioequivalence study, the mean terminal half-life of zafirlukastis approximately 10 hours in both normal adult subjects and patients with asthma how asthma is treated. In other studies, the mean plasma half-life of zafirlukast ranged from approximately8 to 16 hours in both normal subjects and patients with asthma how asthma is treated. The pharmacokineticsof zafirlukast are approximately linear over the range from 5 mg to 80 mg how asthma is treated. Steady-stateplasma concentrations of zafirlukast are proportional to the dose and predictablefrom single-dose pharmacokinetic data how asthma is treated. Accumulation of zafirlukast in the plasmafollowing twice-daily dosing is approximately 45% how asthma is treated.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of zafirlukast 20 mg administered as a singledose to 36 male volunteers are shown with the table below how asthma is treated.

Mean (% Coefficient of Variation) pharmacokinetic
parameters of zafirlukast following single 20 mg
oral dose administration to male volunteers (n=36) C max
ng/mL t max h AUC
ng·h/mL t 1/2
h CL/f
L/h
326 (31.0) 2 (0.5-5.0) 1137 (34) 13.3 (75.6) 19.4 (32)
1 Median and range

Special Populations
Gender: The pharmacokinetics of zafirlukast are similar in males and females how asthma is treated. Weight-adjusted apparent oral clearance does not differ due to gender how asthma is treated.

Race: No differences in the pharmacokinetics of zafirlukast due to race havebeen observed how asthma is treated.

Elderly: The apparent oral clearance of zafirlukast decreases with age how asthma is treated. Inpatients above 65 years of age, there is an approximately 2-3 fold greater Cmax and AUC compared to young adult patients how asthma is treated.

Children: Following administration of a single 20 mg dose of zafirlukast to20 boys and girls between 7 and 11 years of age, and in a second study, to 29boys and girls between 5 and 6 years of age, the following pharmacokinetic parameterswere obtained:

Parameter Children age
5-6 years
Mean (% Coefficient
of Variation) Children age
7-11 years
Mean (% Coefficient
of Variation)
C max (ng/mL) 756 (39%) 601 (45%)
AUC (ng·h/mL) 2458 (34%) 2027 (38%)
t max (h) 2.1 (61%) 2.5 (55%)
CL/f (L/h) 9.2 (37%) 11.4 (42%)

Weight unadjusted apparent clearance was 11.4 L/h (42%) in the 7-11 year oldchildren and 9.2 L/h (37%) in the 5-6 year old children, which resulted in greatersystemic drug exposures than that obtained in adults for an identical dose how asthma is treated. To maintain similar exposure levels in children compared to adults, a dose of10 mg twice daily is recommended in children 5-11 years of age (see DOSAGE ANDADMINISTRATION ) how asthma is treated.

Zafirlukast disposition was unchanged after multiple dosing (20 mg twice daily)in children and the degree of accumulation in plasma was similar to that observedin adults how asthma is treated.

Hepatic Insufficiency: In a study of patients with hepatic impairment (biopsy-provencirrhosis), there was a reduced clearance of zafirlukast resulting in a 50-60%greater C max and AUC compared to normal subjects how asthma is treated.

Renal Insufficiency: Based on a cross-study comparison, there are no apparentdifferences in the pharmacokinetics of zafirlukast between renally-impairedpatients and normal subjects how asthma is treated.

Drug-Drug Interactions
The following drug interaction studies have been conducted with zafirlukast(see PRECAUTIONS , Drug Interactions ) how asthma is treated.

Coadministration of multiple doses of zafirlukast (160 mg/day) to steady-statewith a single 25 mg dose of warfarin (a substrate of CYP2C9) resulted in a significantincrease in the mean AUC (+63%) and half-life (+36%) of S-warfarin how asthma is treated. The meanprothrombin time increased by approximately 35% how asthma is treated. The pharmacokinetics of zafirlukastwere unaffected by coadministration with warfarin how asthma is treated.
Coadministration of zafirlukast (80 mg/day) at steady-state with a single doseof a liquid theophylline preparation (6 mg/kg) in 13 asthmatic patients, 18to 44 years of age, resulted in decreased mean plasma concentrations of zafirlukastby approximately 30%, but no effect on plasma theophylline concentrations wasobserved how asthma is treated.
Coadministration of zafirlukast (20 mg/day) or placebo at steady-state witha single dose of sustained release theophylline preparation (16 mg/kg) in 16healthy boys and girls (6 through 11 years of age) resulted in no significantdifferences in the pharmacokinetic parameters of theophylline how asthma is treated.
Coadministration of zafirlukast dosed at 40 mg twice daily in a single-blind,parallel-group, 3-week study in 39 healthy female subjects taking oral contraceptives,resulted in no significant effect on ethinyl estradiol plasma concentrationsor contraceptive efficacy how asthma is treated.
Coadministration of zafirlukast (40 mg/day) with aspirin (650 mg four timesdaily) resulted in mean increased plasma concentrations of zafirlukast by approximately45% how asthma is treated.
Coadministration of a single dose of zafirlukast (40 mg) with erythromycin (500mg three times daily for 5 days) to steady-state in 11 asthmatic patients resultedin decreased mean plasma concentrations of zafirlukast by approximately 40%due to a decrease in zafirlukast bioavailability how asthma is treated.

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