The pharmacokinetics of D-penicillamine in man

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), coupled with an amalgamated gold electrochemical detector¹, to measure plasma and urine concentrations of D-penicillamine, was used to determine the pharmacokinetics of this drug following both its intravenous and oral administration in doses of 800 mg. After iv administration, plasma elimination half-life (T 1/2 β) was 62.7 ± 5.3 min; plasma clearance (C1) 560.7 ± 42.8 ml/min; volume of distribution (V(d)) 57.0 ± 9.3 l; and % D-penicillamine excreted within 24 h, 42.1% ± 6.2%. Following oral administration, T 1/2 β was 60.7 ± 8.2 min, % D-penicillamine excreted within 24 h, 21.2 ± 2.3%; and fraction of absorption (f) 41.2 ± 5.5%. Urinary copper excretion paralleled urine and plasma D-penicillamine concentrations.