The pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of the 5-HT(1B/1D) agonist eletriptan were characterized in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose escalation study. Healthy males received single oral doses of 10 to 120 mg. Following screening and baseline measurements, plasma and saliva eletriptan concentrations were measured at intervals over 48 hours and 24 hours, respectively. Samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Both the maximum plasma concentration and the area under the plasma eletriptan concentration-time curve showed an essentially linear relationship to the administered dose. Eletriptan exhibited a median time to maximum plasma concentration of 1 to 1.25 hours and a mean elimination half-life of 3.6 to 7.0 hours. Mean salivary-plasma ratios for pharmacokinetic parameters generally remained constant across the 30 to 90 mg dose range. Eletriptan was well tolerated, with mostly mild and transient adverse events. In conclusion, oral doses of eletriptan in the therapeutic range were rapidly absorbed and exhibited essentially linear plasma and saliva pharmacokinetics.