Influence of food on the absorption of metoprolol administered as an Oros drug delivery system to man.

The influence of food on the release, absorption and metabolism of metoprolol has been studied after single administration of a 19/190 Oros system to eight healthy volunteers on four occasions, once after an overnight fast, and just before each of three daily meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). The plasma concentration-time profiles under the four test conditions were virtually identical, and no statistically significant differences in mean areas under the curves between 0 and 32 h, peak concentrations, or times to peak, were detected. The absorption of metoprolol was unaffected by food intake, with 80-90% of the amount absorbed reaching the systemic circulation within 10 h. The ratios of areas under the curve for alpha-hydroxymetoprolol to its parent drug were in the same range for the four treatments, and similar to those reported after conventional tablets. The in vivo release and absorption of drug from the Oros system and its systemic availability, were not influenced by concomitant ingestion of food.