Influence of food on the absorption of acetylsalicylic acid from enteric-coated dosage forms.

The absorption of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) from two different enteric-coated dosage forms, tablets (Premaspin) and granules (Reumyl), was studied in healthy volunteers under fasting and non-fasting conditions by following the plasma concentration and urine recovery of salicylates after single doses of ASA 1 g. Conventional tablets (Aspirin) were used as the reference. Under fasting conditions the absorption of ASA from the two different enteric-coated preparations was complete. Taken with food the enteric-coated tablets gave much lower plasma concentrations than under fasting conditions, and absorption was not complete in all subjects. In contrast, absorption from the enteric-coated granules was not influenced by the intake of food. It was concluded that enteric-coated granules of ASA permit more reproducible absorption than enteric-coated tablets.