The effect of sorbitol and activated charcoal on serum theophylline concentrations after slow-release theophylline

Abstract

The effect of the addition of sorbitol to an oral regimen of multiple doses of activated charcoal on serum theophylline concentrations was studied after the ingestion of slow-release theophylline in nine healthy male volunteers. At 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12 hours after Theo-24 (1200 mg/70 kg) ingestion, each subject received, in a randomized crossover design, either 300 ml water, 20 gm activated charcoal in water, or 20 gm activated charcoal in water plus 75 ml 70% sorbitol at 6 and 8 hours only. The serum AUCs from 6 to 30 hours after Thor-24 ingestion during the water, charcoal, and charcoal plus sorbitol phases were 305 .+-. 16, 113 .+-. 6 and 85 .+-. 10 mg-hr/L (mean .+-. SE), respectively. We conclude that the addition of sorbitol to an oral regimen of multiple doses of activated charcoal decreased the serum theophylline concentrations after therapeutic doses of slow-release theophylline to a significantly greater extent than did the activated charcoal regimen alone.