EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DRUG METABOLISM AND PHARMACOKINETICS 2008, Vol. 33, No. I, pp. 31-35 Effect of Nigerian meals on the Pharmacokinetics of chlorpropamide in type II diabetic patients M.T. BAKARE- ODUNOLA I, A. MUSTAPHA I and I. ABDU AGUYE 2 [Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, 2Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria Receivedfor publication: August 7,2007 Key words: Chlorpropamide, Pharmacokinetics, Type II diabetes, Nigeria SUMMARY Food-drug interactions are best evaluated on an individual drug basis, in a group of subjects in a population at risk. This is due to their complex nature, which is a function of type and size of meal, the physical and chemical form of the drug and the time lapse between food intake and drug administration. This work was aimed at investigating the effect of three different Nigerian meals, which are regularly consumed by the three major tribes in Nigeria, on the pharmacokinetics of chlorpropamide, a drug commonly used to treat Type II diabetes in this country. Meal A (maize flour meal) was composed of 81% carbohydrate, 3% protein and II % fat; meal B (cassava flour meal) was composed of 76% carbohydrate, 3% protein and 15% fat; while meal C (browned yam flour meal) was composed of 85% carbohydrate, 2% protein and 8% fat. The effects of the three meals were investigated by administering each of the meals alone, without the medicinal drug (Treatment I); in Treatment II each meal was administered 30 min following the administration of 250 mg chlorpropamide; in Treatment III the drug was administered together with each of the standard meals. Analysis of the plasma levels of chlorpropamide was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Ingestion of the meal alone (Treatment I) resulted in a significant difference in postprandial plasma glucose levels. The time to maximum plasma chlorpropamide concentration was significantly increased in Treatment III (P<0.05), while all pharmacokinetic parameters and plasma glucose levels were not significantly altered in Treatment II. Analysis of the results demonstrated a better glycaemic response with meals A and C compared with meal B. INTRODUCTION Chlorpropamide is a long-acting oral hypoglycaemic agent that is widely prescribed for patients with Type II non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Linking drug doses to daily routines such as meal-times can improve patient compliance. However, the interactions between food components and orally administered drugs can alter the pharmacokinetics of the latter. Most food drug interactions occur during the Please sent reprint request to: Dr M.T. Bakare-Odunola, Dept. of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Nigeria. absorption phase (I ).The concomitant administration of food has been found to have little effect on the biovailability of glibenclamide (2). However, food intake has been reported to significantly delay the absorption of glipizide (3). A statistically significant decrease has been observed in the extent of tolbutamide absorption when the latter is taken to- gether with a meal (4). Diabetic patients should have a low fat, high carbohydrate diet taken in the form of complex carbohydrate restricting the intake of simple sugar. This will reduce the risk of coronary heart dis- ease, a major element in NIDDM patient mortality (5-7).