Pharmacokinetics of clorazepate in pregnant and non-pregnant women

Abstract

A single dose of clorazepate 20 mg was injected i.m. in 7 pregnant and 7 non-pregnant women. Blood samples were collected for one week, and urine was collected for 24 h after the dose. The concentrations of clorazepate and its metabolite nordiazepam were determined by electron capture gas liquid chromatography. There was no difference between the two groups on physical examinations. Clorazepate was rapidly absorbed and the peak concentration was reached within 2h. Mean pharmacokinetic parameters for clorazepate were absorption half life 0.77h in pregnant women and 0.56h in non-pregnant women; elimination half life 1.3h in pregnant women and 2.0h in non-pregnant women; volume of distribution: 0.43 l · kg⁻¹ in the pregnant women and 0.33 l · kg⁻¹ in non-pregnant women. Nordiazepam reached its peak concentration within 12h after dosing; its mean half life of elimination was 180h in pregnant women and 60h in non-pregnant women. Within 24h, 1.3% of the clorazepate was recovered in urine from pregnant women and 7% in urine from the non-pregnant women.