This study has compared the effect of repeated administration of charcoal and cholestyramine on the elimination of piroxicam.
Eight young adults were given piroxicam as a single dose of 20 mg, on 3 separate occasions. On one of the occasions charcoal was also given. On another occasion cholestyramine was also administered.
The mean elimination half-life after piroxicam alone was 53.1 h. This was reduced to 40.0 h by charcoal administration and to 29.6 h after administration of cholestyramine.
In the second phase of the study 7 elderly subjects received piroxicam 20 mg for 14 days on two occasions. Cholestyramine administration at the end of one of the periods reduced the mean elimination half-life of piroxicam from 52.3 h to 27.3 h.
Key words piroxicam - charcoal - cholestyramine - enhanced elimination - young and elderly subjects