Abstract
Erdosteine, the thiol derivatives chemically related to cysteine, is a mucolytic and mucoregulator agent which modulates mucus production and viscosity and increases mucociliary transport. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two erdosteine capsules, Erdos (Dae Woong Pharmaceutical Co., Korea) and Erblon (Kuhn Il Pharmaceutical Co., Korea), according to the guidelines of Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA). The erdosteine release from the two erdosteine capsules in vitro was tested using KP VII Apparatus II method with various different kinds of dissolution media (pH 1.2, 4.0, 6.8 buffer solution and water). Twenty four healthy male subjects, $23.33{\pm}2.06$ years in age and $66.18{\pm}8.19\;kg$ in body weight, were divided into two groups and a randomized $2{\times}2$ cross-over study was employed. After three capsules containing 300 mg as erdosteine were orally administered, blood was taken at predetermined time intervals and the concentations of erdosteine in serum were determined using HPLC method with UV detector. The dissolution profiles of two formulations were similar at all dissolution media. Besides, the pharmacokinetic parameters such as $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$ were calculated and ANOVA test was utilized for the statistical analysis of the parameters using logarithmically transformed $AUC_t\;and\;C_{max}$ and untransformed $T_{max}$. The results showed that the differences between two formulations based on the Erdos were 0.20%, 1.10% and -9.44% for $AUC_t,\;C_{max}\;and\;T_{max}$, respectively. There were no sequence effects between two formulations in these parameters. The 90% confidence intervals using logarithmically transformed data were within the acceptance range of log(0.8) to log(1.25) $(e.g.,\;log(0.94){\sim}log(1.22)\;and\;log(0.92){\sim}log(1.20)\;for\;AUC_t\;and\;C_{max},\;respectively$. Thus, the criteria of the KFDA guidelines for the bioequivalence was satisfied, indicating Erblon capsule and Erdos capsule are bioequivalent.
