Effect of intestinal first-pass hydrolysis on the oral bioavailability of an ester prodrug of fexofenadine.

The contribution of intestinal first-pass hydrolysis to oral bioavailability was evaluated in rats using a model prodrug of fexofenadine (FXD), which has poor oral bioavailability. The prodrug, ethyl-FXD, has high membrane permeability but the oral bioavailability of FXD derived from ethyl-FXD was only 6.2%.