Non-linear
Pharmacokinetics:cause of
non-linearity
Pharmacokinetics
It is a science dealing with the biological fate of a drug
and/or its metabolites in animal/human body with the
help of
mathematical modelling.
It involves the kinetics of drug-ADME
 Absorption
 Distribution
 Metabolism
 Excretion
Linear Pharmacokinetics
At therapeutic doses, the change in amount of drug in
body or its plasma concentration due to ADME of the
drug is PROPORTIONAL to its DOSE, whether
administered as a single dose or as multiple doses.
Rate processes follow First Order/ Linear Kinetics.
Pharmacokinetic parameters (ka, k, t1/2, Cl, etc) remain
unaffected by Dose.
Pharmacokinetics is DOSE INDEPENDENT.
Non linear pharmacokinetics
 The rate process of a drug’s ADME are dependent
upon carrier or enzymes that are
Enzyme
or
carrier
Substrate
specific
Definite
capacities
Susceptible
to
saturation
 In such cases, an essentially first-order kinetics
transform into a mixture of first-order and zero-order
rate processes and the pharmacokinetic parameters
change with the size of the administered dose.
 The pharmacokinetics of such drugs are said to be
dose-dependent.
 Drug concentrations in the blood can increase rapidly
once an elimination process is saturated.
Nonlinear pharmacokinetics
CHARACTERISTICS….
1. Nonlinear elimination.
2. Elimination half-life increases with an
increase in dose due to enzyme saturation.
3. Elimination half-life decreases with an
increase in dose due to enzyme induction.
4. Bioavailability is not directly related to
AUC.
5. Coadministration of drugs can induce
competitive inhibition.
6. Change in metabolite concentration with
dose.
Linear V/S Nonlinear
Pharmacokinetics
Linear
(Dose-independent)
All ADME processes obey
first-order kinetics.
PK parameters (Cl, Vd, F, Ka,
and t1/2) are constant.
AUC is directly
proportional to the dose.
Concentration vs. time profile
(corrected w.r.t. dose) is
superimposable for all doses.
Nonlinear
(Dose-dependent)
At least one of the ADME
processes is saturable.
PK parameters are dose-
dependent.
AUC is
disproportional to
the dose.
Concentration vs. time
profile is not
superimposable for
different doses.
CAUSES OF
NONLINEARITY
Drug Metabolism
Drug
Distribution
Drug Absorption
Drug
Excretion
When presystemic gut wall or
hepatic metabolism attains
saturation
e.g. propranolol, hydralazine and
verapamil.
When absorption is solubility or
dissolution rate-limited.
e.g. griseofulvin
When absorption involves carrier-
mediated transport systems .
e.g. absorption of riboflavin,
ascorbic acid, cyanocobalamin, etc
F, Ka,
Cma
x
AUC
Drug absorption
Drug absorption
Drug Distribution
• Saturation of binding sites on plasma proteins
e.g. phenylbutazone and naproxen.
• Saturation of tissue binding sites
e.g. thiopental and fentanyl.
Vd
Vd
In both cases, the free
plasma drug concentration
increases
Drug Distribution
Drug Metabolism
Drug Metabolism
CAUSE EXAMPLES Clh (Hepatic Clearance)
Saturable metabolism Phenytoin, salicyclic
acid, theophylline,
valproic acid
Enzyme inhibition Metronidazole
Enzyme induction Carbamazepine
Decreased hepatic
blood flow
Propranolol,
verapamil
Drug Excretion
CAUSE EXAMPLES Clr (Renal Clearance)
Active secreation
(saturable)
Penicillin G
Active
reabsorption(saturable
)
Ascorbic acid
Change in urine pH Salicyclic acid
Saturable plasma
protein binding
Disopyramide
Nephrotoxicity Aminoglycosides
Increase in urine flow Theophylline
Drug Excretion
RECOGNITION OF NON
LINEARITY
Normalisation with respect to Initial Drug
Concentration
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Series1
Series3
Series5
Series7
Time (h)
C/C0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Series1
Series3
Series5
Series7
Time (h)
C/C0
500mg
100m
g
325m
g
250m
g
Linear
pharmacokinetics
Non linear pharmacokinetics
Plot of Area under Curve V/S Drug Dose
RECOGNITION OF NON
LINEARITY
When concentration that results from the dose is not
proportional to that dose and/or the rate of elimination
of the
drug is not proportional to the concentration, the drug
is said
to exhibit non-linear kinetics
RECOGNITION OF NON
LINEARITY
The MRT v/s dose graph shows a dose dependent
trend (either increasing or decreasing). This suggests
non linearity.
RECOGNITION OF NON
LINEARITY
0 100 200 300
0.54
0.56
0.58
0.60
0.62
0.64
Dose (mg)
MRT
(h)
50 100 150 200 250 300
0.5
0.52
0.54
0.56
0.58
0.6
Dose (mg)
MRT
(h)
Linear
Pharmacokinetics
Nonlinear
Pharmacokinetics
Plasma Protein & Tissue Binding As A Function of Dose
RECOGNITION OF NON
LINEARITY
Linear Binding
Mixed
order
Non linear
binding(decreasing
with increasing
dose)
If the magnitude of some or all of the parameters
change
with dose (and especially there are dose related trends)
then non-linear pharmacokinetic are highly probable
RECOGNITION OF NON
LINEARITY
Effect of nonlinearity on AUC
Introduction of nonlinear pharmacokinetics
Linear vs nonlinear pharmacokinetics
Causes of nonlinearity
Tests for determining nonlinearity
Michaelis-menten equation
Determination of Km & Vm
LINEAR vs NONLINEAR
PHARMACOKINETICS
LINEAR NONLINEAR
CAUSES OF NONLINEARITY
Saturable
Absorption
Saturable
Distribution
Saturable
Metabolism
Saturable
Excretion
Solubility
Issues
Mixed-order
Kinetics
VARIOUS PLOTS IN NON LINEAR
KINETICS
DETECTION OF NONLINEARITY
SATURABLE DRUG ABSORPTION
Sources Cause of
non linearity
Affected
parameters
Examples
When absorption
is solubility or
dissolution rate-
limited
Saturated solution
formed at higher doses &
rate of absorption attains
constant value
F, Ka, Cmax
& AUC↓
Griseofulvin,
Chlorothiazid
e,
Danazol
When absorption
involves carrier-
mediated transport
systems
Saturation of the
transport system at
higher doses
F, Ka, Cmax
& AUC↓
Riboflavin,
Ascorbic
acid,
Cyanocobala
min
When
presystemic gut
wall or hepatic
metabolism attains
saturation
Saturation of presystemic
metabolism of drugs at
high doses
F, Ka, Cmax
& AUC↑
Propranolol,
Hydralazine
and
Verapamil
 Other causes of nonlinearity in drug absorption are changes in gastric emptying
and GI blood flow and other physiologic factors.
DRUG ABSORPTION
Drug Example :
Griseofulvin :
Limited solubility/
dissolution in G.I.T
Poorly water soluble drug (10
mg/L)
Less proportion of the drug is
being dissolved and absorbed
with the higher dose
F decreases as the dose increases
tmax remains same
2. DRUG DISTRIBUTION
• e.g.
Phenylbutazone,
Naproxen,
Phenytoin,
Warfarin
A.
Saturation
of binding
sites on
plasma
proteins
• e.g. Thiopental,
Fentanyl,
Imipramine
B.
Saturation
of tissue
binding
sites
Free
plasma
drug
conc.
V
d
V
d
3. DRUG METABOLISM
CAUSE EXAMPLES AFFECTED
PARAMETERS
A. Saturable
metabolism
Phenytoin, Salicylic
acid, Theophylline,
Valproic acid
CLH (hepatic
Clearance)
CSS (steady state
conc.)
B. Enzyme
inhibition
Metronidazole CLH CSS
C. Enzyme
induction
Carbamazepine CLH CSS
D. Decreased
hepatic blood
Propranolol, Verapamil CLH
The nonlinear kinetics of most clinical importance is capacity-
limited metabolism since small changes in dose administered
can produce large variations in plasma concentration at steady-
state.
4. DRUG EXCRETION
a. Active
tubular
secretion
e.g.
Penicillin G
b. Active
tubular
reabsorption
e.g. water
soluble Vitamins
and Glucose
The two
active
processes in
renal
excretion of a
drug that are
saturable are
–
CL
R
CL
R
 Other sources :
 Increase in urine flow, (e.g.
Theophylline)
 changes in urine pH, (e.g.
Salicylic acid)
 Nephrotoxicity, (e.g.
equation
One compartment open model-intra venous
bolus injection-drug elimination
by saturated kinetics
Determination of Km and V
Direct plot method
Relationship between the
area under the curve and
the administered dose
when drug follows
nonlinear kinetics
DOSE CALC. WITH NONLINEARITY
 Phenytoin doses based on population characteristics may not achieve optimal serum
concentrations due to pharmacokinetic variability and nonlinear kinetics. Therefore
phenytoin levels are measured for most patients to ensure efficacy and safety. Patient
outcomes (seizure frequency, side effects, etc.) should also be monitored.
 To adjust phenytoin doses based on serum concentrations, clinicians should use the
simplest and most effective method. Several methods can estimate new doses or
parameters with one steady-state concentration
 1. The empiric dosing method: It is a common technique that uses typical parameters
and can work with one or more concentrations.
 2. The GravesCloyd method: This uses one concentration and a power function, but it is
complex.
 3. The VozehSheiner (Orbit Graph) method: This method uses one concentration and a
special graph with Bayesian concepts, but it is time consuming.
 To adjust phenytoin doses, sometimes phenytoin pharmacokinetic constants are
computed for a patient using two or more steady-state concentrations from different
doses. Two graphical methods can calculate Vmax and Km for phenytoin, but they are
difficult and slow. These are
 1. The Mullen method: This method uses the same graph as the VozehSheiner method,
but finds the patient’s own
 MichaelisMenten parameters instead of Bayesian estimates.
Conclusion
 Nonlinear pharmacokinetics is a complex but important topic in pharmacology and
pharmacokinetics, as it affects the relationship between the dose, concentration,
and effect of many drugs. In this chapter, we have covered the following aspects of
nonlinear pharmacokinetics:
 ● The general concepts and characteristics of nonlinear pharmacokinetics, such as
the deviation from the first-order
 kinetics, the dose-dependent changes in pharmacokinetic parameters, and the
increased variability and unpredictability of drug response.
 ● The factors that can cause nonlinearity in drug absorption, distribution,
metabolism, or excretion, such as saturable
 enzyme kinetics, capacity-limited protein binding, autoinduction or inhibition of
drug metabolism, and nonlinear
 absorption or elimination processes.
 ● The MichaelisMenten equation and its derivation from the enzyme kinetics
theory, and the methods to determine the K m and Vmax values for a drug that
follows the MichaelisMenten kinetics, such as graphical methods, empirical
methods.

nonlinear pharmacokinetic modelling approach

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Pharmacokinetics It is ascience dealing with the biological fate of a drug and/or its metabolites in animal/human body with the help of mathematical modelling. It involves the kinetics of drug-ADME  Absorption  Distribution  Metabolism  Excretion
  • 3.
    Linear Pharmacokinetics At therapeuticdoses, the change in amount of drug in body or its plasma concentration due to ADME of the drug is PROPORTIONAL to its DOSE, whether administered as a single dose or as multiple doses. Rate processes follow First Order/ Linear Kinetics. Pharmacokinetic parameters (ka, k, t1/2, Cl, etc) remain unaffected by Dose. Pharmacokinetics is DOSE INDEPENDENT.
  • 4.
    Non linear pharmacokinetics The rate process of a drug’s ADME are dependent upon carrier or enzymes that are Enzyme or carrier Substrate specific Definite capacities Susceptible to saturation
  • 5.
     In suchcases, an essentially first-order kinetics transform into a mixture of first-order and zero-order rate processes and the pharmacokinetic parameters change with the size of the administered dose.  The pharmacokinetics of such drugs are said to be dose-dependent.  Drug concentrations in the blood can increase rapidly once an elimination process is saturated. Nonlinear pharmacokinetics
  • 6.
    CHARACTERISTICS…. 1. Nonlinear elimination. 2.Elimination half-life increases with an increase in dose due to enzyme saturation. 3. Elimination half-life decreases with an increase in dose due to enzyme induction. 4. Bioavailability is not directly related to AUC. 5. Coadministration of drugs can induce competitive inhibition. 6. Change in metabolite concentration with dose.
  • 7.
    Linear V/S Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics Linear (Dose-independent) AllADME processes obey first-order kinetics. PK parameters (Cl, Vd, F, Ka, and t1/2) are constant. AUC is directly proportional to the dose. Concentration vs. time profile (corrected w.r.t. dose) is superimposable for all doses. Nonlinear (Dose-dependent) At least one of the ADME processes is saturable. PK parameters are dose- dependent. AUC is disproportional to the dose. Concentration vs. time profile is not superimposable for different doses.
  • 8.
  • 9.
    When presystemic gutwall or hepatic metabolism attains saturation e.g. propranolol, hydralazine and verapamil. When absorption is solubility or dissolution rate-limited. e.g. griseofulvin When absorption involves carrier- mediated transport systems . e.g. absorption of riboflavin, ascorbic acid, cyanocobalamin, etc F, Ka, Cma x AUC Drug absorption
  • 10.
  • 11.
    Drug Distribution • Saturationof binding sites on plasma proteins e.g. phenylbutazone and naproxen. • Saturation of tissue binding sites e.g. thiopental and fentanyl. Vd Vd In both cases, the free plasma drug concentration increases
  • 12.
  • 13.
  • 14.
    Drug Metabolism CAUSE EXAMPLESClh (Hepatic Clearance) Saturable metabolism Phenytoin, salicyclic acid, theophylline, valproic acid Enzyme inhibition Metronidazole Enzyme induction Carbamazepine Decreased hepatic blood flow Propranolol, verapamil
  • 15.
    Drug Excretion CAUSE EXAMPLESClr (Renal Clearance) Active secreation (saturable) Penicillin G Active reabsorption(saturable ) Ascorbic acid Change in urine pH Salicyclic acid Saturable plasma protein binding Disopyramide Nephrotoxicity Aminoglycosides Increase in urine flow Theophylline
  • 16.
  • 17.
    RECOGNITION OF NON LINEARITY Normalisationwith respect to Initial Drug Concentration 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Series1 Series3 Series5 Series7 Time (h) C/C0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 Series1 Series3 Series5 Series7 Time (h) C/C0 500mg 100m g 325m g 250m g Linear pharmacokinetics Non linear pharmacokinetics
  • 18.
    Plot of Areaunder Curve V/S Drug Dose RECOGNITION OF NON LINEARITY
  • 19.
    When concentration thatresults from the dose is not proportional to that dose and/or the rate of elimination of the drug is not proportional to the concentration, the drug is said to exhibit non-linear kinetics RECOGNITION OF NON LINEARITY
  • 20.
    The MRT v/sdose graph shows a dose dependent trend (either increasing or decreasing). This suggests non linearity. RECOGNITION OF NON LINEARITY 0 100 200 300 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.60 0.62 0.64 Dose (mg) MRT (h) 50 100 150 200 250 300 0.5 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.6 Dose (mg) MRT (h) Linear Pharmacokinetics Nonlinear Pharmacokinetics
  • 21.
    Plasma Protein &Tissue Binding As A Function of Dose RECOGNITION OF NON LINEARITY Linear Binding Mixed order Non linear binding(decreasing with increasing dose)
  • 22.
    If the magnitudeof some or all of the parameters change with dose (and especially there are dose related trends) then non-linear pharmacokinetic are highly probable RECOGNITION OF NON LINEARITY
  • 23.
    Effect of nonlinearityon AUC Introduction of nonlinear pharmacokinetics Linear vs nonlinear pharmacokinetics Causes of nonlinearity Tests for determining nonlinearity Michaelis-menten equation Determination of Km & Vm
  • 24.
  • 25.
  • 26.
    VARIOUS PLOTS INNON LINEAR KINETICS
  • 27.
  • 29.
    SATURABLE DRUG ABSORPTION SourcesCause of non linearity Affected parameters Examples When absorption is solubility or dissolution rate- limited Saturated solution formed at higher doses & rate of absorption attains constant value F, Ka, Cmax & AUC↓ Griseofulvin, Chlorothiazid e, Danazol When absorption involves carrier- mediated transport systems Saturation of the transport system at higher doses F, Ka, Cmax & AUC↓ Riboflavin, Ascorbic acid, Cyanocobala min When presystemic gut wall or hepatic metabolism attains saturation Saturation of presystemic metabolism of drugs at high doses F, Ka, Cmax & AUC↑ Propranolol, Hydralazine and Verapamil  Other causes of nonlinearity in drug absorption are changes in gastric emptying and GI blood flow and other physiologic factors.
  • 30.
    DRUG ABSORPTION Drug Example: Griseofulvin : Limited solubility/ dissolution in G.I.T Poorly water soluble drug (10 mg/L) Less proportion of the drug is being dissolved and absorbed with the higher dose F decreases as the dose increases tmax remains same
  • 31.
    2. DRUG DISTRIBUTION •e.g. Phenylbutazone, Naproxen, Phenytoin, Warfarin A. Saturation of binding sites on plasma proteins • e.g. Thiopental, Fentanyl, Imipramine B. Saturation of tissue binding sites Free plasma drug conc. V d V d
  • 32.
    3. DRUG METABOLISM CAUSEEXAMPLES AFFECTED PARAMETERS A. Saturable metabolism Phenytoin, Salicylic acid, Theophylline, Valproic acid CLH (hepatic Clearance) CSS (steady state conc.) B. Enzyme inhibition Metronidazole CLH CSS C. Enzyme induction Carbamazepine CLH CSS D. Decreased hepatic blood Propranolol, Verapamil CLH The nonlinear kinetics of most clinical importance is capacity- limited metabolism since small changes in dose administered can produce large variations in plasma concentration at steady- state.
  • 33.
    4. DRUG EXCRETION a.Active tubular secretion e.g. Penicillin G b. Active tubular reabsorption e.g. water soluble Vitamins and Glucose The two active processes in renal excretion of a drug that are saturable are – CL R CL R  Other sources :  Increase in urine flow, (e.g. Theophylline)  changes in urine pH, (e.g. Salicylic acid)  Nephrotoxicity, (e.g.
  • 34.
  • 38.
    One compartment openmodel-intra venous bolus injection-drug elimination by saturated kinetics
  • 39.
  • 40.
  • 47.
    Relationship between the areaunder the curve and the administered dose when drug follows nonlinear kinetics
  • 48.
    DOSE CALC. WITHNONLINEARITY  Phenytoin doses based on population characteristics may not achieve optimal serum concentrations due to pharmacokinetic variability and nonlinear kinetics. Therefore phenytoin levels are measured for most patients to ensure efficacy and safety. Patient outcomes (seizure frequency, side effects, etc.) should also be monitored.  To adjust phenytoin doses based on serum concentrations, clinicians should use the simplest and most effective method. Several methods can estimate new doses or parameters with one steady-state concentration  1. The empiric dosing method: It is a common technique that uses typical parameters and can work with one or more concentrations.  2. The GravesCloyd method: This uses one concentration and a power function, but it is complex.  3. The VozehSheiner (Orbit Graph) method: This method uses one concentration and a special graph with Bayesian concepts, but it is time consuming.  To adjust phenytoin doses, sometimes phenytoin pharmacokinetic constants are computed for a patient using two or more steady-state concentrations from different doses. Two graphical methods can calculate Vmax and Km for phenytoin, but they are difficult and slow. These are  1. The Mullen method: This method uses the same graph as the VozehSheiner method, but finds the patient’s own  MichaelisMenten parameters instead of Bayesian estimates.
  • 49.
    Conclusion  Nonlinear pharmacokineticsis a complex but important topic in pharmacology and pharmacokinetics, as it affects the relationship between the dose, concentration, and effect of many drugs. In this chapter, we have covered the following aspects of nonlinear pharmacokinetics:  ● The general concepts and characteristics of nonlinear pharmacokinetics, such as the deviation from the first-order  kinetics, the dose-dependent changes in pharmacokinetic parameters, and the increased variability and unpredictability of drug response.  ● The factors that can cause nonlinearity in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion, such as saturable  enzyme kinetics, capacity-limited protein binding, autoinduction or inhibition of drug metabolism, and nonlinear  absorption or elimination processes.  ● The MichaelisMenten equation and its derivation from the enzyme kinetics theory, and the methods to determine the K m and Vmax values for a drug that follows the MichaelisMenten kinetics, such as graphical methods, empirical methods.

Editor's Notes