Human intestinal absorption--neutral molecules and ionic species.

Analysis of percentage human intestinal absorption (%HIA) for 280 drugs shows that an excellent fit can be obtained using only three descriptors for neutral molecules with a SD of 13.9%. Use of descriptors for individual cations and anions does not lead to any better goodness-of-fit. It is noted that diffusion coefficients in water for ionized molecules are almost identical to those for the corresponding neutral molecules. Comparison of equation coefficients for HIA with those for other processes shows that HIA resembles diffusion in water but does not resemble permeation through biological bilayers. It is shown that compound substituent effects on HIA are near those for diffusion but are far away from substituent effects on permeation through a typical bilayer. Calculations indicate that rates of permeation through an unstirred mucosal layer are of the same order as experimental rates of permeation in HIA. It is concluded that for the 280 compound set, diffusion through the unstirred mucosal layer is the rate determining step. The effect on pK(a) in transfer of acids and bases from water to another solvent, and of diffusion past a negative charge in a phase/bilayer is also considered.