Pharmacokinetics compartment models

Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Model—is comprised of a series of compartments representing organs or tissue groups with realistic weights and blood flows. These models require a variety of physiological information tissue volumes, blood flow rates to tissues, cardiac output, alveolar ventilation rates and, possibly membrane permeabilities. The models also utilize biochemical information such as air/blood partition coefficients, and metabolic parameters. PBPK models are also called biologically based tissue dosimetry models. 

We consider again the pharmacokinetic parameters of the one-compartment model for a single intravenous injection (eq. (39.6)). 

This general approach for solving linear pharmacokinetic problems is referred to as the y-method. It is a generalization of the approach by means of the Laplace transform, which has been applied in the previous Section 39.1.6 to the case of a two-compartment model. 

Our pharmacokinetic data indicate that detectable PCP levels may remain in the urine for 4 to 5 weeks after the last use, similar to previous reports (Khajawall and Simpson 1983). The observed elimination kinetics were equally consistent with a one- or two-compartment model, but methodological problems with our data make... 

Azacitidine, a cytidine analog, causes hypomethylation of DNA, which normalizes the function of genes that control cell differentiation to promote normal cell maturation. The suspension is administered as a subcutaneous injection daily for 7 days for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, a preleukemia disease. The pharmacokinetics of azacitidine are best described by a two-compartment model, with a terminal half life of 3.4 to 6.2 hours, whereas peak concentrations are achieved 30 minutes after a subcutaneous injection.7 Azacitidine has been shown to be clinically active in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes. The side effects include myelosuppression, renal tubular acidosis, renal dysfunction, and injection-site reactions. 

Vinblastine is another vesicant vinca alkaloid that causes myelo-suppression and less neurotoxicity than vincristine. The pharmacokinetics of vinblastine are best described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 25 minutes, a 3 half-life of 53 minutes, and a terminal half-life of 19 to 25 hours.12 Vinblastine has shown activity in the treatment of bladder, breast, and kidney cancer, as well as some lymphomas. The doses of vinblastine tend to be higher on a milligram per meter squared basis than vincristine. Nausea and vomiting are minimal with vinblastine. Other side effects include mild alopecia, rash, photosensitivity, and stomatitis. 

The vesicant vinorelbine is structurally similar to vincristine and may cause many of the same side effects as vincristine. While this vesicant is administered intravenously over 6 to 10 minutes, patients should be counseled about neuropathy, ileus, and myelosuppression. The pharmacokinetics of vinorelbine are best described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 2 to 6 minutes, a 3 half-life of 1.9 hours, and a y half-life of 40 hours. Vinorelbine has shown efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Additional side effects include myelosuppression, paresthesias, and mild nausea and vomiting. 

Docetaxel, another taxane, binds to tubulin to promote microtubule assembly. The pharmacokinetics of docetaxel are best described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 0.08 hours, a 3 half-life of 1.6 to 1.8 hours, and a terminal half-life of 65 to 73 hours.14 Docetaxel has activity in the treatment of breast, non-small cell lung, prostate, bladder, esophageal, stomach, ovary, and head and neck cancers. Dexamethasone, 8 mg twice daily for 3 days starting the day before treatment, is used to prevent the fluid retention syndrome associated with docetaxel and possible hypersensitivity reactions. The fluid... 

Etoposide causes multiple DNA double-strand breaks by inhibiting topoisomerase II. The pharmacokinetics of etoposide are described by a two-compartment model, with an a half-life of 0.5 to 1 hour and a (5 half-life of 3.4 to 8.3 hours. Approximately 30% of the dose is excreted unchanged by the kidney.16 Etoposide has shown activity in the treatment of several types of lymphoma, testicular and lung cancer, retinoblastoma, and carcinoma of unknown primary. The intravenous preparation has limited stability, so final concentrations should be 0.4 mg/mL. Intravenous administration needs to be slow to prevent hypotension. Oral bioavailability is approximately 50%, so oral dosages are approximate two times those of intravenous doses however, relatively low oral daily dosages are used for 1 to 2 weeks. Side effects include mucositis, myelosuppression, alopecia, phlebitis, hypersensitivity reactions, and secondary leukemias. 

Teniposide, a topoisomerase II inhibitor, is administered as an infusion over 30 to 60 minutes to prevent hypotension. The pharmacokinetics are described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 0.75 hours, a (5 half-life of 4 hours, and a terminal half-life of 20 hours. Considerable variability in clearance of teniposide in children has been reported.17 Teniposide has shown activity in the treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia, neuroblastoma, and non-Hodgkin s lymphoma. Side effects include myelosuppression, nausea, vomiting, mucositis, and venous irritation. Hypersensitivity reactions may be life-threatening. 

Topotecan inhibits topoisomerase I to cause single-strand breaks in DNA. The pharmacokinetics of topotecan can be described by a two-compartment model, with a terminal half-life of 80 to 180 minutes, with renal clearance accounting for approximately 70% of the clearance.19 Topotecan has shown clinical activity in the treatment of ovarian and lung cancer, myelodysplastic syndromes, and acute myelogenous leukemia. The intravenous infusion may be daily for 5 days or once weekly. Side effects include myelosuppression, mucositis, and diarrhea. 

Daunorubicin is an anthracycline that is sometimes referred to as an antitumor antibiotic. Daunorubicin inserts between base pairs of DNA to cause structural changes in DNA however, the primary mechanism of cytotoxicity is the inhibition of topoisomerase II. The pharmacokinetics are best described by a two-compartment model, with a terminal half-life of about 20 hours. The predominant route of elimination of daunorubicin and hydroxylated metabolites is hepatobiliary... 

Liposomal doxorubicin is an irritant, not a vesicant, and is dosed differently from doxorubicin, so clinicians need to be very careful when prescribing these two drugs. The pharmacokinetics of liposomal doxorubicin are best described by a two-compartment model, with a terminal half-life of 30 to 90 hours.20 Liposomal doxorubicin has shown significant activity in the treatment of breast and ovarian cancer, along with multiple myeloma and Kaposi s sarcoma. Side effects include mucositis, myelosuppression, alopecia, and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia. The liposomal doxorubicin may be less cardiotoxic than doxorubicin. 

Epirubicin inhibits both DNA and RNA polymerases and thus inhibits nucleic acid synthesis and topoisomerase II enzymes. Epirubicin pharmacokinetics are best described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 4 to 5 minutes, a... 

Idarubicin inhibits both DNA and RNA polymerase, as well as topoisomerase II. The pharmacokinetics of idarubicin can best be described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 13 minutes, a (3 half-life of 2.4 hours, and a terminal half-life of 16 hours.22 Idarubicin is metabolized to an active metabolite, idarubicinol, which has a half-life of 41 to 69 hours. Idarubicin and idarubicinol are eliminated by the liver and through the bile. Idarubicin has shown clinical activity in the treatment of acute leukemias, chronic myelogenous leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndromes. Idarubicin causes cardiomyopathy at cumulative doses of greater than 150 mg/m2 and produces cumulative cardiotoxic effects with other anthracyclines. Idarubicin is a vesicant and causes red-orange urine, mucositis, mild to moderate nausea and vomiting, and bone marrow suppression. 

This royal-blue-colored drug is an anthracenedione that inhibits DNA topoisomerase II. The pharmacokinetics of mitoxantrone may best be described by a three-compartment model, with an a half-life of 3 to 10 minutes, a 3 half life of 0.3 to 3 hours, and a median terminal half-life of 12 days. Biliary elimination appears to be the primary route of elimination, with less than 10% of the drug eliminated by the kidney.23 Mitoxantrone has shown clinical activity in the treatment of acute leukemias, breast and prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin s lymphomas. Myelosuppression, mucositis, nausea and vomiting, and cardiac toxicity are side effects of this drug. The total cumulative dose limit is 160 mg/m2 for patients who have not received prior anthracycline or mediastinal radiation. Patients who have received prior doxorubicin or daunorubicin therapy should not receive a cumulative dose greater than 120 mg/m2 of mitoxantrone. Patients should be counseled that their urine will turn a blue-green color. 

While carboplatin has the same mechanism of action as cisplatin, it has a much less toxic side-effect profile than cisplatin. The pharmacokinetics of carboplatin are best described by a two-compartment model, with an a half-life of 90 minutes and a terminal half-life of 180 minutes. Carboplatin is eliminated almost entirely by the kidney by glomerular filtration and tubular secretion. Many chemotherapy regimens dose carboplatin based on an area under the curve (AUC), which is referred to... 

Mitomycin C is an alkylating agent that forms cross-links with DNA to inhibit DNA and RNA synthesis. The pharmacokinetics of mitomycin C are best described by a two-compartment model, with an a half-life of 8 minutes and a terminal half-life of 48 minutes.31 Liver metabolism is the primary route of elimination. Mitomycin C has shown clinical activity in the treatment of anal, bladder, cervix, gallbladder, esophageal, and stomach cancer. Side effects consist of myelosuppression and mucositis, and it is a vesicant. 

Denileukin diftitox is a combination of the active sections of interleukin 2 and diphtheria toxin. It binds to high-affinity interleukin 2 receptors on the cancer cell (and other cells), and the toxin portion of the molecule inhibits protein synthesis to result in cell death. The pharmacokinetics of denileukin diftitox are best described by a two-compartment model, with an a half-life of 2 to 5 minutes and a terminal half-life of 70 to 80 minutes. Denileukin diftitox is used for the treatment of persistent or recurrent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma whose cells express the CD25 receptor. Side effects include vascular leak syndrome, fevers/chills, hypersensitivity reactions, hypotension, anorexia, diarrhea, and nausea and vomiting. 

Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody to the CD20 receptor expressed on the surface of B lymphocytes the presence of the antibody is determined during flow cytometry of the tumor cells. Cell death results from antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The pharmacokinetics of rituximab are best described by a two-compartment model, with a terminal half-life of 76 hours after the first infusion and a terminal half-life of 205 hours after the fourth dose.36 Rituximab has shown clinical activity in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas that are CD20+. Side effects include hypersensitivity reactions, hypotension, fevers, chills, rash, headache, and mild nausea and vomiting. 

Toremifene is an estrogen receptor antagonist. The pharmacokinetics of toremifene are best described by a two-compartment model, with an a half-life of 4 hours and an elimination half-life of 5 days. Peak plasma concentrations are achieved approximately 3 hours after an oral dose. Toremifene is metabolized extensively, with metabolites found primarily in the feces. Toremifene is used for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor-positive or unknown tumors. Toremifene causes hot flashes, vaginal bleeding, thromboembolism, and visual acuity changes. 

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