Effect of Tamarindus indica L. on the bioavailability of aspirin in healthy human volunteers.

The influence of Tamarindus indica L. fruit extract incorporated in a traditional meal on the bioavailability of aspirin tablets 600 mg dose was studied in 6 healthy volunteers. There was a statistically significant increase in the plasma levels of aspirin and salicylic acid, respectively, when the meal containing Tamarindus indica fruit extract was administered with the aspirin tablets than when taken under fasting state or with the meal without the fruit extract. The Cmax, AUC0-6h and t1/2 for aspirin increased from 10.04 +/- 0.1 mg/ml to 28.62 +/- 0.21 mg/ml (P < 0.05); 14.03 +/- 0.11 mg/ml.h to 86.51 +/- 0.21 mg/ml.h (P < 0.085) and 1.04 +/- 0.12 h to 1.50 +/- 0.44 h (P < 0.05) respectively. There was no change in the tmax (0.50 +/- 0.17 h) but there was a decrease in the kel from 0.633 +/- 0.22 to 0.463 +/- 0.29 (P < 0.05). Similarly, the Cmax, AUC0-6h and kel for salicylic acid rose from 43.84 +/- 0.21 mg/ml to 68.19 +/- 0.71 mg/ml (P < 0.05); 171.59 +/- 0.07 mg/ml.h to 266.22 +/- 0.21 mg/ml/.h (P < 0.05) and 7.37 +/- 0.29 to 19.30 +/- 0.21 (P < 0.05), respectively. The tmax decreased from 2.0 +/- 0.18 h to 1.0 +/- 0.08 h (P < 0.05) and t1/2 from 0.25 +/- 0.21 h to 0.184 +/- 0.11 h (P < 0.05). The study has indicated that Tamarindus indica L. fruit extract significantly increased the bioavailability of aspirin.