Concentrations of metronidazole and tinidazole in female reproductive organs after a single intravenous infusion and after repeated oral administration

Summary Concentrations of metronidazole and tinidazole in serum and gynecological organs were analyzed after a single 500 mg intravenous infusion and after three days of treatment with 400 mg t.i.d. of metronidazole or 500 mg b.i.d. of tinidazole. The studies were performed in 67 patients subjected to hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy because of myomatosis uteri, carcinoma uteri or endometriosis. At the time of organ removal (about 30 min after infusion), metronidazole and tinidazole levels in serum were 14.5 ± 0.45 mg/l and 12.3 ± 0.38 mg/l, respectively. Concentrations of both drugs in the uterus and Fallopian tube were about the same as the simultaneous serum levels and concentrations in the ovaries about 55% thereof. At steady-state, the concentrations of tinidazole in serum (23.5 ± 1.0 mg/l) were remarkably higher than those of metronidazole (13.5 ± 0.84 mg/l) about three hours after the last oral dose. Drug concentrations in organs of the female reproductive tract were 70 to 100% those of the simultaneous serum levels. Zusammenfassung Die Konzentrationen von Metronidazol und Tinidazol in Serum und Genitalorganen wurden nach einer intravenösen Einzelinfusion von 500 mg sowie nach dreitägiger oraler Behandlung mit 400 mg Metronidazol dreimal täglich oder 500 mg Tinidazol, zweimal täglich, bestimmt. Die Untersuchungen wurden bei 67 Patientinnen durchgeführt, bei denen eine Hysterektomie und/oder Oophorektomie wegen Myomatosis uteri, Uteruskarzinom oder Endometriose vorgenommen wurde. Zum Zeitpunkt der Organentnahme (etwa 30 min nach Infusion) betrugen die Metronidazol-und Tinidazolspiegel im Serum 14,5 ± 0,45 mg/l bzw. 12,3 ± 0,38 mg/l. Die Konzentrationen der beiden Medikamente im Uterus und in der Tube entsprachen den gleichzeitig bestimmten Serumspiegeln; die Konzentrationen in den Ovarien lagen bei etwa 55% der Serumspiegel. 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Author information Authors and Affiliations Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Männistö, P., Haataja, H., Karhunen, M. et al. Concentrations of metronidazole and tinidazole in female reproductive organs after a single intravenous infusion and after repeated oral administration. Infection 12, 197–201 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640899 Received: Accepted: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01640899