Pharmacokinetics of rilmenidine in healthy subjects

Rilmenidine is a novel α 2-adrenoceptor agonist, used in the treatment of mild or moderate hypertension at the oral dose of 1 mg once or twice daily. The pharmacokinetic parameters were investigated after single or repeated administration in healthy subjects, using labeled and unlabeled compounds. Rilmenidine was rapidly and extensively absorbed, with an absolute bioavailability factor close to 1 and a maximal plasma concentration achieved within 2 hours. Rilmenidine was not subject to presystemic metabolism. Distribution was independent of the free fraction because rilmenidine was weakly bound to plasma proteins (