Bioequivalence and Pharmacokinetics of Ibuprofen Extended-Release Capsules in Healthy Chinese Volunteers Under Fasting and Postprandial Conditions.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and safety of a generic and a branded reference formulation of ibuprofen extended-release capsules. Bioequivalence between the 2 products was assessed through a clinical trial conducted in healthy Chinese volunteers. The study was divided into 2 groups: fasting and postprandial. Thirty-two volunteers were enrolled in the fasting group and 24 in the postprandial group. Participants in each group were randomly assigned to receive either the generic (test) or branded (reference) product. Following the first dosing cycle, a 7-day washout period was observed. Afterward, subjects crossed over to the alternate treatment and completed a second cycle. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using plasma concentration-time profiles. These included the area under the plasma concentration-time curve during the dosing interval (AUC_0-t), the AUC extrapolated to infinity (AUC_0-∞), the maximum observed plasma concentration (C_max), the time to reach C_max (t_max), and the elimination half-life (t₁/₂). The results demonstrated that the generic and reference ibuprofen extended-release capsules were bioequivalent in healthy Chinese volunteers under both fasting and postprandial conditions.