Pharmacokinetics of weekly transdermal estradiol controlled delivery system in postmenopausal Chinese.
AIM
To study Pharmacokinetical profile of weekly transdermal estradiol controlled delivery system (E2-WTCDS) in 18 Chinese postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Single and multiple daily doses of E2-WTCDS were applied to an area of intact skin on the lower abdomen, using Estraderm TTS (E2-TTS) from Ciba-Geigy Company as control. E2 concentration in serum was measured by RIA.


RESULTS
Cmax 38 +/- 5 ng.L-1, Tmax 22 +/- 5 h, AUC 5651 +/- 386 ng.h.L-1, Cmax(SS) 44 +/- 7 ng.L-1, Cmax(SS) 35 +/- 4 ng.L-1, Fl 0.22 +/- 0.10. The relative bioavailability of E2-WTCDS was comparable to E2-TTS during the same period of system application.


CONCLUSION
E2-WTCDS maintained relatively constant and effective serum estradiol concentrations and is suitable for once-weekly application.