Abstract: Aim To investigate the pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability of levofloxacin hydrochloride capsule.Methods A single 200 mg oral dose of either capsule or tablet was given to 12 healthy male volunteers in randomized self-crossover way.Plasma levofloxacin concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography.The concentration-time data of levofloxacin was fit ted to two-compartment model with first-order absorption and the bioequivalence of the two formulations were evaluated by the analysis of variance and the two one-sidedt-test.Results The pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: capsule:C_max=(3.18±0.57)mg · L^-1, t_max=(0.83±0.33)h, AUC_0~24=(19.95±2.86)mg·h·L^-1, t_1/2(β)=(7.75±2.04)h ;tablet:C_max=(2.96±0.43)mg·L^-1, t_max=(0.96±0.33)h, AUC_0~24=(21.49±1.88)mg ·h·L^-1, t_1/2(β)=(6.82±0.84)h.Relative bioavailability of capsule was (93.0±11.8)% compared with tablet.Conclusion The two formulations are of bioequivalence.

Key words: levofloxacin hydrochloride, pharmacokinetics, bio availability, HPLC