Pharmacokinetic study of intravenous rifampicin.

The time course of the serum and urine concentrations of rifampicin were evaluated during and after administration of an intravenous preparation of the antibiotic. 300, 450 and 600 mg dose levels of the antibiotic were evaluated, all being given as intravenous infusion after solution in 500 ml of glucose, the infusion lasting 3 h. The results have shown that the serum level curves and the kinetic parameters calculated on them do not differ to any major extent from those corresponding to the same doses given orally. No changes of relevance in the half-life values were observed between doses. Changes in serum bilirubin levels were observed with a pattern similar to that commonly seen with oral administration of rifampicin.