Alprazolam absorption

Mumford GK, Evans SM, Fleishaker JC, et al Alprazolam absorption kinetics affects abuse liability. Clin Pharmacol Ther 57 356—365, 1995a... 

BZDs with rapid absorption produce a more rapid onset of clinical activity than those with slower absorption. BZDs given orally differ in their speed of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. For example, absorption time is 0.5 hours for clorazepate, 1 hours for diazepam, 1.3 hours for triazolam, 2 hours for alprazolam and lorazepam, 2 to 3 hours for oxazepam, and 3.6 hours for flurazepam. Absorption, however, may be influenced by the presence or absence of food in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, patients who take a BZD hypnotic with a bedtime snack may experience a slower onset of hypnotic activity than if the same drug were taken several hours after a meal. 

Alprazolam 12-15 a-Hydroxyprazolamd Short Rapid oral absorption... 

Several studies have reported that alcohol increases plasma levels of diazepam and that alcohol accelerates the absorption of diazepam, but others have suggested that alcohol has no significant effect on diazepam pharmacokinetics. Plasma levels of brotizolam and clobazam may be increased by alcohol. One study reported that the plasma levels of triazolam were increased by alcohol, but other studies have found only a minimal pharmacokinetic interaction. However, an in vitro study demonstrated that alcohol inhibited the metabolism of triazolam by the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP3A. Another in vitro study reported that the formation of flunitrazepam metabolites was weakly inhibited by alcohol, but a pharmacokinetic study suggested that there was no interaction. Alcohol appears to have minimal effects on the pharmacokinetics of alprazolam, and zopiclone. ... 

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