The use of buccal partitioning as a model to examine the effects of aluminium hydroxide gel on the absorption of propranolol.

1 A buccal partitioning model showed no absorption interaction between propranolol and aluminium hydroxide gel in three volunteer subjects. 2 The previously reported in vivo interaction is therefore not due to propranolol adsorption to, or complexation with the antacid but is more probably due to a decreased gastric emptying rate caused by the antacid. 2 Buccal partitioning has proved useful in the examination of the mechanism of the propranolol/aluminium hydroxide absorption interaction and may also be a suitable in vivo bioavailability screening model for other drugs which can be partitioned in the buccal membranes.