The beagle dog as an animal model for a bioavailability study of controlled-release theophylline under the influence of food.

Beagle dogs were evaluated as an animal model to study the effect of food on the bioavailability of two commercially available oral controlled-release theophylline products. The products were administered with and without food in single doses, and the bioavailability parameters were compared with those following an i.v. aminophylline dose. The total plasma theophylline clearance in dogs following an i.v. dose was 0.128 liter/hr/kg and the volume of distribution was 0.8 liter/kg using a one-compartment model. The absolute bioavailabilities of these two products under fasting conditions were 31 and 48%, respectively. The food increased the bioavailability of one product and decreased the bioavailability of the other. The overall trends in relative bioavailability of these two products with and without food appeared to be similar to those reported in humans.