Pharmacokinetics of 11-hydroxyaclacinomycin X (ID-6105), a novel anthracycline, after i.v. bolus multiple administration in rats

We investigated the pharmacokinetics of 11-hydroxyaclacinomycin X (ID-6105), a novel anthracycline, after intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration at a multiple dose every 24 h for 5 days in rats. To analyze ID-6105 levels in biological samples, we used an HPLC-based method which was validated in a pharmacokinetic study by suitable criteria. The concentrations of ID-6105 after the multiple administration for 5 days were not significantly different from the results after the single administration. The t1/2alpha, t1/2beta, Vdss, and CLt after the multiple administration were not significantly different from the values after the single administration. Moreover, the concentrations of ID-6105 1 min at day 1-5 after i.v. bolus multiple administration did not show the significant difference. Of the various tissues, ID-6105 mainly distributed to the kidney, lung, spleen, adrenal gland, and liver after i.v. bolus multiple administration. ID-6105 concentrations in the kidney or lung 2 h after i.v. bolus administration were comparable to the plasma concentration shortly after i.v. bolus administration. However, the ID-6105 concentrations in various tissues 48 h after i.v. bolus administration decreased to low levels. ID-6105 was excreted largely in the bile after i.v. bolus multiple administration at the dose of 3 mg/kg. The amounts of ID-6105 found in the bile by 12 h or in the urine by 48 h after the administration were calculated to be 14.1% or 4.55% of the initial dose, respectively, indicating that ID-6105 is mostly excreted in the bile. In conclusion, ID-6105 was rapidly cleared from the blood and transferred to tissues, suggesting that ID-6105 might not be accumulated in the blood following i.v. bolus multiple dosages of 3 mg/kg every 24 h for 5 days. By 48 h after i.v. bolus administration, ID-6105 concentrations in various tissues had decreased to very low levels. The majority of ID-6105 appears to be excreted in the bile.     

Validation of high-performance liqid chromatography method to determine epirubicin and its pharmacokinetics after intravenous bolus administration in rats

We investigated the pharmacokinetics of epirubicin, an anthracycline derivative antibiotics, after intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration in rats. To analyze epirubicin levels in the plasma, bile, urine and tissue samples, we developed an high-performance liqid chromatography (HPLC)-based method which was validated for a pharmacokinetic study by suitable criteria. The plasma concentration of epirubicin after i.v. bolus administration was rapidly disappeared within 10 min from the blood circulation. The mean plasma half-lives at α phase (t_1/2α) when administered at the dose of 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg were 2.14–2.61 min. The values of t_1/2β at the corresponding doses increased two folds (from 150 to 291 min) with increasing doses. The CL_t values significantly decreased with the increase in dose. In contrast, V_dss values increased about 1.5 times with the increase in dose from 2 to 50 mg/kg. Of the various tissues, epirubicin mainly distributed to the kidney, lung, heart and liver after i.v. bolus administration. The epirubicin concentrations in various tissues at 24 h after i.v. bolus administration were below 1.0 μg/g tissue. Epirubicin was excreted largely in the bile after i.v. bolus administration at the dose of 2, 10 and 50 mg/kg. The cumulative amount of epirubicin in the urine 72 h after dosage represented 20 % of the amount excreted in the bile 12 h after high dosage, indicating that i.v. administered epirubicin was mainly excreted in the bile. In conclusion, epirubicin was rapidly cleared from the blood circulation and transferred to tissues such as the kidney and liver 2 h after i.v. bolus administration. Moreover, the majority of epirubicin appears to be excreted in the bile by 12 h after i.v. bolus administration.     

High performance liquid chromatographic analysis an pharmacokinetic characteristics of ID-7181, a novel quaternary ammoniopropenyl cephalosporin, following intravenous and intramuscular injections to rats

The purpose of the present study was to examine the pharmacokinetic characteristics of 7-[(z)-2-(5-amino-1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-yl)-2-methoxyiminoacetamido]-3-[(E)-3-(E)-(1-carbamoyl-1-propene-3-yl) 3-ethylmethylammonio]-1-propene- 1-yl]-3-cepheme-4-carboxylate (CAS 206126-08-1, ID-7181), a novel quaternary ammoniopropenyl cephalosporin that contains two vinyl groups at the C-3 side chain, after being administered intravenously (i.v.) or intramuscularly (i.m.) to rats. An HPLC-based method was developed to analyze the ID-7181 levels in the plasma, bile, urine, feces, and tissue homogenates and validated in a pharmacokinetic study. The plasma concentration of ID-7181 decreased to below the quantifiable limit at 6 h after the i.v. administration to rats following doses of 2-10 mg/kg, yielding a t(1/2,beta) of 77.7-81.7 t(1/2) after i.m. doses of 10-50 mg/kg were 79.3-127 min. The total plasma clearance (CLt) decreased with the nonlinear pharmacokinetics with an increase in the i.m. dose from 10 to 50 mg/kg in rats, while it was not significantly altered after the i.v. dose. The bioavailability of the i.m. administered ID-7181 was 43-63 %. Of the various tissues tested, ID-7181 was mainly distributed in the kidney after the i.v. or i.m. administration. The ID-7181 concentrations in the kidney 0.5 h after being administered i.v. or i.m. were comparable to the plasma concentrations shortly after being administered i.v. or the Cmax after being administered i.m. However, the ID-7181 concentrations in the tissues 6 h after being administered i.v. or i.m. decreased to low i.m. were 35-45 % of the initial doses. The corresponding values in the bile 6 h after being administered i.v. or i.m. were 0.5-1% of the initial dose. In conclusion, ID-7181, administered i.v. or i.m., is mainly distributed to the kidney. By 6 h after i.v. or i.m. administration, the ID-7181 concentrations in the various tissues decreased to very low levels. Moreover, the majority of ID-7181 appeared to be excreted in the urine.     

Pharmacokinetics of guanosine in rats following intravenous or intramuscular administration of a 1:1 mixture of guanosine and acriflavine, a potential antitumor agent

A 1:1 mixture of acriflavine (ACF; CAS 8063-24-9) and guanosine is under evaluation in preclinical studies as a possible antitumor agent. Guanosine is known to potentiate the anti-cancer activity of ACF. We therefore investigated the pharmacokinetics of guanosine following administration of the ACF/guanosine mixture in rats. Rats were given guanosine (1 or 5 mg/kg) or ACF/guanosine (2 or 10 mg/kg) by i.v. bolus; or guanosine (3 or 15 mg/kg) or ACF/guanosine (6 or 30 mg/kg) by i.m. injection. We found that guanosine was rapidly cleared from the blood and transferred to tissues after i.m. administration of ACF/guanosine. The mean plasma half-lives (t_1/2) at the α and β phases were 0.091 and 6.86 h, or 0.09 and 7.51 h at a dose of 1 or 5 mg/kg guanosine, respectively. ACF had no effect on the plasma disappearance of guanosine following either i.v. bolus or i.m. administration of the combination mixture. Moreover, the ACF combination with guanosine did not significantly alter the values of MRT, V_dss, and CL_t of guanosine. Guanosine exhibited linear pharmacokinetics over the dose range from 1 to 5 mg/kg for i.v. doses and 3 to 15 mg/kg for i.m. doses. The bioavailability of guanosine after i.m. administration was 84% for 3 mg/kg dose and 88% for 15 mg/kg dose. ACF had no effects on biliary and urinary excretion of guanosine after i.m. administration. The cumulative amount of guanosine in urine after i.m. administration was about 5-fold larger than that in bile, indicating that guanosine is mostly excreted into the urine. Guanosine was widely distributed in all tissues examined in this study, but was most highly concentrated in the kidney after i.m. administration, followed by slow excretion to bile or urine. ACF had no effect on the tissue distribution of guanosine following i.m. administration. These characterizations of the pharmacokinetics of guanosine after administration of the ACF/guanosine combination will be useful in providing preclinical and clinical bases for the potential application of this combination to the treatment of cancer.     

Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and excretion of gambogic acid in rats.

The plasma pharmacokinetics, excretion, and tissue distribution of gambogic acid (GA), a novel anti-tumor drug, were investigated after intravenous (i.v.) bolus administration in rats. Plasma profiles were obtained after i.v. administration of GA at the doses of 1, 2 and 4 mg/kg. The elimination half-life (tl/2) values for GA were estimated to be 14.9, 15.7 and 16.1 min, while the mean area under concentration-time curve (AUC(t)) values were 54.2, 96.1 and 182.4 microg min/ml, respectively. GA was mainly excreted into the bile (36.5% over 16 h). The cumulative sum of fecal excretion within 48 h was 1.26% of the i.v. administered dose. No GA was detected in the urine after i.v. administration. GA had a limited tissue distribution, with the highest concentrations being found in the liver. GA reached its maximal concentration in all tissues at 5 min post-dose. In conclusion, the present observations indicated that GA was rapidly eliminated from the blood and transferred to the tissues. Moreover, the majority of GA appeared to be excreted into the bile within 16 h of i.v. administration.     

Pharmacokinetics of phenobarbital and propylhexedrine after administration of barbexaclone in the mouse

The antiepileptic barbexaclone is the salt of the base propylhexedrine (indirect sympathomimetic) and phenylethylbituric acid. After i.v. and oral administration of 66 mg/kg barbexaclone to mice the time course of propylhexedrine and phenobarbital concentrations was studied in plasma, brain, lung, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, and skeletal muscle. Furthermore, the kinetics of phenobarbital were studied after treatment with an equimolar dose of phenobarbital-Na (40 mg/kg). In contrast to the i.v. bolus of phenobarbital-Na, barbexaclone was non-lethal only when infused over a period of 3 min. After the i.v. administration of either salt, phenobarbital plasma levels declined monoexponentially with a half-life of 7.5 h; the volume of distribution was 0.78 l/kg. After oral application absorption of phenobarbital was complete with both salts, though it was delayed after barbexaclone. The latter was the result of a delayed gastro-intestinal passage. Brain uptake of phenobarbital was a slow process, equilibrium with plasma concentrations being reached only 30 min after injection. Propylhexedrine reduced phenobarbital concentrations in brain as evident from steady state tissue-plasma ratios. This was observed after i.v. as well as after oral application. After i.v. application of barbexaclone the following pharmacokinetic parameters for propylhexedrine were determined: t0.5 alpha 0.31 h, t0.5 beta 2.5 h, Vd beta 19.3 l/kg; bioavailability (AUC oral/AUC i.v.) 0.37. Propylhexedrine penetrated the blood-brain barrier rapidly. High but unequal tissue accumulation was observed: lung = kidney greater than liver = brain greater than spleen greater than heart greater than skeletal muscle.     

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the anticholinergics tiotropium and ipratropium in the rat and dog.

Ipratropium, a current treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and tiotropium, a longer acting anticholinergic bronchodilator currently being developed for COPD are structurally related to atropine. In this study, the intravenous (i.v.), oral (p.o.) and intratracheal (i.tr.) single dose pharmacokinetics (PK) of tiotropium and ipratropium were determined in rat and dog. In rats, concentration-time profiles of tiotropium and ipratropium after single i.v. bolus administration of 7-8 mg kg(-1) are similar. Both drugs are highly cleared (Cl between 87 and 150 ml min(-1) kg(-1)) and extensively distributed into tissues (volume of distribution V(ss) between 3 and 15 l kg(-1)). In dogs, this holds also true for both drugs (Cl between 34 and 42 ml min(-1) kg(-1), V(ss) between 2 and 10 l kg(-1)), although different dose regimen were applied (i.v. bolus of 0.08 mg kg(-1) vs. infusion of 0.1 mg kg(-1) h(-1) for 3 h). Tiotropium plasma concentrations increased linearly in rats over a wide dose range following single i.v. administration. Both ipratropium and tiotropium showed a comparable terminal elimination half-life in rat urine (21-24 h) after single i.v. administration, which was much longer than the corresponding half-life in plasma (6-8 h). Whole body autoradiography in rats revealed a broad and rapid tissue distribution of [(14)C]tiotropium radioactivity after single i.v. administration. A comparable distribution pattern has also been reported earlier for ipratropium.     

Pharmacokinetic, biliary excretion, and metabolic studies of 14C-furosemide in the rat

1. Partition of furosemide into organic solvents at pH 3.8 was greatest for ethyl acetate (33:1) greater than 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (10:1) greater than ethyl ether (6:1). 2. Furosemide was highly bound to human, bovine, rabbit, and rat plasma or albumin (97.4-98.4%). 3. Furosemide was highly bound to rat tissues. One hour after i.p. injection of the drug, tissue to plasma concentration ratios were: adrenals (10:1), lung (4:1), kidney (4:1), spleen (3:1). 4. In rats with ligated renal pedicles, furosemide was excreted in bile, at least in part, by active transport. Hepatic clearance of a 1 mg/kg i.v. dose contributed 20% to total body clearance. Large doses (50 mg/kg and more) of furosemide exerted a choleretic effect. 5. Chromatography of bile showed that i.v. administration of 50 mg/kg and higher doses of furosemide to rats resulted in saturation of hepatic drug metabolism. 6. The bile of rats contained the parent drug, 4-chloro-5-sulphamoyl-anthranilic acid, and at least two unknown metabolites with the furan ring intact.     

Toxicokinetics of the phytoestrogen daidzein in female DA/Han rats

Female DA/Han rats were given the phytoestrogen daidzein, either intravenously (10 mg/kg b.w.) or orally by gavage (10 or 100 mg/kg b.w.). The plasma concentration-time curve determined after i.v. administration of daidzein was fitted to a triexponential model, resulting in a final half-life (gamma-phase) of approximately 4 h. The oral bioavailability of 10 mg daidzein/kg was 9.7%, while that of 100 mg/kg was 2.2%; the higher dose (100 mg/kg) was apparently absorbed to a four- to fivefold lower extent than the smaller dose. The plasma concentration time curves after oral administration of daidzein to female DA/Han rats revealed pronounced interindividual differences and multiple peaks, pointing to extensive enterohepatic circulation and/or protracted absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. As shown in a separate experiment with bile duct-cannulated rats, daidzein (i.p. 10 mg/kg b.w.) is efficiently excreted with bile: glucuronide/sulfate metabolites amounting to approximately 30% of the dose in 8 h. Conjugates were also the main circulating metabolites upon i.v. or gavage administration of daidzein, indicating efficient phase II metabolism in female DA/Han rats. Since only few data have been published on tissue levels of isoflavones, their concentrations were measured in various organs and compared to plasma levels determined at the time the animals were killed, with one exception 32 or 48 h after rats had received a single dose of daidzein (i.v. or per os). As expected, the daidzein concentrations depended upon dose and administration route. Despite notable differences in the absolute amounts of total daidzein (free plus hydrolyzed conjugates), the levels were usually three- to fivefold higher in liver and kidney than in plasma; in most samples of uteri, the concentrations were similar, or up to twofold higher, than the respective plasma levels. These data point to an uptake and storage of isoflavones and metabolites in tissues. Experimental toxicokinetics appear to be a relevant subject that should be integrated into assessments of toxicological data for endocrine modulators.     

Metabolism and disposition of [(14)C]1-nitronaphthalene in male Sprague-Dawley rats.

In rats and mice, 1-nitronaphthalene (1-NN) produces both lung and liver toxicity. Even though these toxicities have been reported, the metabolism and disposition of 1-NN have not been elucidated. Therefore, studies were performed to characterize its fate after i.p. and i.v. administration to male Sprague-Dawley rats. After i.p. administration of [(14)C]1-NN (100 mg/kg; 60 microCi/kg), 84% of the dose was eliminated in the urine and feces by 48 h. At 96 h, 60% of the dose was recovered in the urine, 32% in the feces, and 1% collectively in the tissues, blood, and gastrointestinal contents. The terminal phase rate constant (k(term)) of 1-NN was 0.21 h(-1), the terminal phase half-life (T(1/2,term)) was 3.40 h, and the systemic bioavailability was 0.67. When administered i.v. (10 mg/kg; 120 microCi/kg), 85% of the dose was eliminated in the urine and feces by 24 h. At the end of the study (96 h), 56% of the dose was recovered in the urine, 36% in the feces, and 1% collectively in the tissues, blood, and gastrointestinal contents. Interestingly, 88% of the dose was secreted into bile by 8 h. The k(term) was 0.94 h(-1) and the T(1/2,term) was 0.77 h. The major urinary metabolite after both routes of administration was N-acetyl-S-(hydroxy-1-nitro-dihydronaphthalene)-L-cysteine. Other urinary metabolites identified include hydroxylated, dihydroxylated, glucuronidated, sulfated, and reduced metabolites, as well as dihydrodiol. The major biliary metabolite was hydroxy-glutathionyl-1-nitro-dihydronaphthalene. These data show that 1-NN undergoes extensive metabolism and enterohepatic recirculation, and the majority of the dose is eliminated in the urine.     

溴泰君在大鼠的组织分布和排泄

目的研究溴泰君(W198)在大鼠的组织分布和排泄，为临床试验提供依据。方法用HPLC紫外检测方法测定大鼠iv W198后生物样品中的药物含量。结果大鼠iv W198 20 mg·kg^-1后组织的药物含量远高于相同时间的血清药物浓度。药物主要分布在肺，其次在肾、心、肝等组织,大部分组织的药物含量于给药后0.25 h最高，给药后2 h显著下降，至24 h均缓慢下降；大鼠iv W198 20 mg·kg^-1后从尿、粪(0-96 h)和胆汁(0-24 h)中排泄的原型药物分别占给药总量的0.150%，2.1%和0.063%。结论W198主要分布于肺组织中。从尿、粪和胆汁中排泄的原型药物很少。     

The absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of rofecoxib, a potent and selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor, in rats and dogs.

Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion studies were conducted in rats and dogs with rofecoxib (VIOXX, MK-0966), a potent and highly selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). In rats, the nonexponential decay during the terminal phase (4- to 10-h time interval) of rofecoxib plasma concentration versus time curves after i.v. or oral administration of [(14)C]rofecoxib precluded accurate determinations of half-life, AUC(0-infinity) (area under the plasma concentration versus time curve extrapolated to infinity), and hence, bioavailability. After i.v. administration of [(14)C]rofecoxib to dogs, plasma clearance, volume of distribution at steady state, and elimination half-life values of rofecoxib were 3.6 ml/min/kg, 1.0 l/kg, and 2.6 h, respectively. Oral absorption (5 mg/kg) was rapid in both species with C(max) occurring by 0.5 h (rats) and 1.5 h (dogs). Bioavailability in dogs was 26%. Systemic exposure increased with increasing dosage in rats and dogs after i.v. (1, 2, and 4 mg/kg), or oral (2, 5, and 10 mg/kg) administration, except in rats where no additional increase was observed between the 5 and 10 mg/kg doses. Radioactivity distributed rapidly to tissues, with the highest concentrations of the i.v. dose observed in most tissues by 5 min and by 30 min in liver, skin, fat, prostate, and bladder. Excretion occurred primarily by the biliary route in rats and dogs, except after i.v. administration of [(14)C]rofecoxib to dogs, where excretion was divided between biliary and renal routes. Metabolism of rofecoxib was extensive. 5-Hydroxyrofecoxib-O-beta-D-glucuronide was the major metabolite excreted by rats in urine and bile. 5-Hydroxyrofecoxib, rofecoxib-3',4'-dihydrodiol, and 4'-hydroxyrofecoxib sulfate were less abundant, whereas cis- and trans-3,4-dihydro-rofecoxib were minor. Major metabolites in dog were 5-hydroxyrofecoxib-O-beta-D-glucuronide (urine), trans-3, 4-dihydro-rofecoxib (urine), and 5-hydroxyrofecoxib (bile).     

Toxicokinetics and oral bioavailability of fumonisin B1

The kinetics of fumonisin B1 (FB1) after single doses of 10 mg FB1/kg (po) or 2 mg FB1/kg (i.v.) were studied in male Wistar rats. Serial blood samples were obtained after p.o and i.v. administration. Liver and kidney tissue samples were also obtained after p.o administration. Plasma, liver and kidney concentrations of FB1 were determined by a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic assay using precolumn 0-phthaldialdehyde derivatisation with fluorescence detection. The FB1 plasma profile could be adequately described by a 2-compartment open model. For FB1, the elimination half-life from plasma was 1.03 h after i.v. and 3.15 h after p.o administration. The apparent volume of distribution and volume of distribution at steady state for FB1 were 0.11 and 0.072 L, respectively, after i.v. administration. The total plasma clearance of FB1 was the same for both the p.o and i.v. routes, 0.072 L/h. After the single p.o dose, FB1 was rapidly absorbed with a Tmax of 1.02 h. The maximum plasma concentration of FB1 was 0.18 microgram/mL. The p.o bioavailability of FB1 was 3.5%. The tissue concentration time data for FB1 fit a 1-compartment open model. Considerable concentrations of FB1 were found in the liver and kidney tissues. The elimination half-lives for FB1 were longer for liver (4.07 h) and kidney (7.07 h) than for plasma (3.15 h). Tissue accumulation of FB1 was evidenced by the tissue/plasma area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) ratios; the AUCtissue/AUCplasma for FB1 was 2.03 in liver and 29.89 in kidney.     

Absorption, distribution, and excretion of arbekacin after intravenous and intramuscular administration in rats

Absorption, distribution, and excretion of arbekacin (HBK) were studied in rats after intravenous or intramuscular administration of HBK at a dose of 10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg. Elimination half-lives of HBK were 0.69 hour for bolus intravenous administration, 0.55 hour for constant rate intravenous infusion, and 0.57 hour for intramuscular administration. Cumulative urinary excretions within 24 hours after administration were 74.7% of the dose for bolus intravenous administration, and 79.1% of the dose for intramuscular administration. No significant difference was observed in the cumulative urinary excretions between the 2 administration routes. Cumulative biliary excretions within 24 hours after administration were around 0.1% of doses regardless administration routes, bolus intravenous or intramuscular administration. The tissue or organ distribution of HBK after bolus intravenous administration was similar to that after intramuscular administration. The drug was distributed most abundantly into the kidney followed by plasma and the lung. The distribution of the drug into the liver was the least among the 6 tissues or organs examined in this study. The protein binding of HBK was studied by an equilibrium dialysis method at three different concentrations of HBK, 5, 10, and 20 micrograms/ml. Binding ratios of HBK to human serum, human serum albumin, and rat serum were less than 15%.     

Absorption,distribution and excretion of nilvadipine,a new dihydropyridine calcium antagonist,in rats and dogs

1. The absorption, distribution and excretion of nilvadipine have been studied in male rats and dogs after an i.v. (1 mg/kg for rats, 0.1 mg/kg for dogs) and oral dose (10 mg/kg for rats, 1 mg/kg for dogs) of ¹⁴C-nilvadipine.

2. Nilvadipine was rapidly and almost completely absorbed after oral dosing in both species; oral bioavailability was 4.3% in rats and 37.0% in dogs due to extensive first-pass metabolism. The ratios of unchanged drug to radioactivity in plasma after oral dosing were 0.4–3.5% in rats and 10.4–22.6% in dogs. The half-lives of radioactivity in plasma after i.v. and oral dosing were similar, i.e. 8–10h in rats, estimated from 2 to 24 h after dosing and 1.5 d in dogs, estimated from 1 to 3 d. In contrast, plasma concentrations of unchanged drug after i.v. dosing declined biexponentially with terminal phase half-lives of 1.2 h in rats and 4.4 h in dogs.

3. After i.v. dosing to rats, radioactivity was rapidly distributed to various tissues, and maintained in high concentrations in the liver and kidneys. In contrast, after oral dosing to rats, radioactivity was distributed mainly in liver and kidneys.

4. With both routes of dosing, urinary excretion of radioactivity was 21–24% dose in rats and 56–61% in dogs, mainly in 24 h. After i.v. dosing to bile duct-cannulated rats, 75% of the radioactive dose was excreted in the bile. Only traces of unchanged drug were excreted in urine and bile.     

Effects of Guanosine on the Pharmacokinetics of Acriflavine in Rats Following the Administration of a 1:1 Mixture of Acriflavine and Guanosine,a Potential Antitumor Agent

Preclinical studies are currently underway to examine the potential antitumor effects of a 1:1 mixture of acriflavine (ACF; CAS 8063-24-9) and guanosine. Guanosine potentiates the anticancer activity of some compounds. However, the effects of guanosine on the pharmacokinetics of ACF in mammals are unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of guanosine on the pharmacokinetics of ACF after administering a 1:1 mixture of ACF and guanosine in rats. The rats were given either 10 mg/kg of the mixture or 5 mg/kg ACF via an intravenous bolus injection; or 30 mg/kg of the mixture or 15 mg/kg ACF intramuscularly. An HPLC-based method, which was validated in this laboratory, was used to analyze the levels of trypaflavine (TRF) and proflavine (PRF) in the plasma, bile, urine, and tissue homogenates. It was found that TRF and PRF were rapidly cleared from the blood and transferred to the tissues after the i.v. bolus or i.m. injection of the combination mixture. Both TRF and PRF were found to be most highly concentrated in the kidneys after the i.v. bolus or i.m. injection, followed by slow excretion to the bile or urine. Guanosine had no effect on the plasma disappearance of TRF or PRF after the i.v. bolus injection. However, guanosine led to a prolongation of the plasma levels of PRF after the i.m. administration of the combination mixture, resulting in a 2 fold increase in the bioavailability (BA) of PRF The concentrations of TRF and PRF in all the tissues examined were similar in the groups given the mixture and ACF. However, guanosine led to a prolongation of the biliary and urinary excretions of both TRF and PRF after the i.v. bolus (1.25 fold) or i.m. (1.5-2.4 folds) injection. These prolonged effects of guanosine on the plasma disappearance or urinary excretion of TRF and PRF might be one reason for the enhanced antitumor effects of ACF. However, more study will be needed to further examine this potential mechanism.     

Pharmacokinetic characteristics and hepatic distribution of IH-901, a novel intestinal metabolite of ginseng saponin, in rats

We investigated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of 20- O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (IH-901), a metabolite that is formed by intestinal bacteria, after its intravenous (i.v.) or oral administration in rats. We developed an LC/MS/MS-based method to analyze IH-901 levels in plasma, bile, urine and tissue homogenates and validated its use in a pharmacokinetic study. After i.v. administration of 3 - 30 mg/kg IH-901, it disappeared rapidly from the plasma at alpha phase followed by slow disappearance at beta phase (t(1/2,)(alpha) of 0.042 - 0.055 h and t (1/2,)(beta) of 6.98 - 10.6 h, respectively). The oral route slightly prolongs IH-901 plasma levels (terminal phase t(1/2) of 26.1 h) yet leads to a bioavailability of only 4.54 %. Of the various organs tested, the liver contained the majority of the i.v. bolus or orally administered IH-901, and liver IH-901 levels shortly after i.v. administration were 6-fold higher than the initial plasma concentration. The R(h) (hepatic recovery ratio) was calculated to be 0.417, and the uptake clearance (CL(uptake)) for i.v. administered IH-901 was 0.401 mL.min(-1).g liver(-1). Additionally, IH-901 is mostly excreted into the bile, since 40.5 % of the i.v.-administered dose (30 mg/kg) was recovered in the bile within 6 h, and only 15 % was found in the urine. Moreover, at steady state after i. v. infusion of IH-901, C(ss,liver) was about 11.3-fold higher than C(ss,plasma), whereas C(ss,bile) was about (1/2)-fold lower than C(ss,liver). These results indicated that the liver is largely responsible for removing IH-901 from the circulation. Oral administration of IH-901 leads to a low bioavailability; thus, the parenteral route may be the suitable way to deliver IH-901 for clinical applications.     

Pharmacokinetics of ethopropazine in the rat after oral and intravenous administration

The pharmacokinetics of the anticholinergic drug ethopropazine (ET) have been studied in the rat after intravenous (i.v.) and oral administration. After i.v. doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg ET HCl, mean +/- S.D. plasma AUC were 9836 +/- 2129 (n = 4 rats) and 13096 +/- 4186 ng h/mL (n = 5 rats), respectively. The t1/2 after 5 and 10 mg/kg i.v. doses were 17.9 +/- 3.3 and 20.9 +/- 6.0 h, respectively. The Cl and V(dss) after 5 mg/kg i.v. doses were 0.48 +/- 0.10 L/h/kg and 7.1 +/- 2.3 L/kg, respectively. Statistically significant differences were present between the 5 and 10 mg/kg dose levels in Cl and V(dss). Oral administration of 50 mg/kg ET HCl (n = 5 rats) yielded mean AUC of 2685 +/- 336 ng h/mL. Mean plasma C(max), t(max) and t1/2 after oral doses were 236 +/- 99 ng/mL, 2.2 +/- 1.4 h and 26.1 +/- 5.4 h, respectively. Less than 1% of the dose was recovered unchanged in urine and bile. Ethopropazine is extensively distributed in the rat, and has relatively slow Cl in relation to hepatic blood flow in the rat. The drug appears to be extensively metabolized in the rat, and nonlinearity is present between the 5 and the 10 mg/kg i.v. doses. The drug displayed poor bioavailability (< 5%) after oral administration.     

Triazolam pharmacokinetics in rats using a radioreceptor assay

The time course of the activities arising after oral (0.33 and 1 mg/kg) and intravenous (0.33 mg/kg) administration of triazolam to rats was assessed in different tissues using a radioreceptor assay. In almost all cases the activities in plasma were lower than in liver, brain, kidney and heart showing that the drug and possibly some active metabolites distribute extensively and rapidly in all the sampled tissues. Peak plasma levels were 34 pmol/ml, 10.2 pmol/ml and 34.9 pmol/ml after 0.33 mg/kg intravenously, 0.33 mg/kg per os and 1 mg/kg p.o. respectively. The area under curve in plasma was proportional to the administered oral dose and it was much smaller after intravenous injection than after the equivalent oral dose (13.8 pmol.h/ml after the i.v. dose and 47.3 pmol.h/ml after the oral dose).     

Intravenous administration of paclitaxel in Sprague‐Dawley rats: what is a safe dose?

Few studies describe the administration of Taxol to rats; however, rats are typically used to study the toxicity of new drugs or novel formulations. A dose finding study was conducted to determine a safe dose of Taxol following intravenous administration in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a bolus of paclitaxel 5-20 mg/kg i.v. Blood was drawn before administration and at the following times after administration: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 h. Plasma concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Two rats received paclitaxel 20 mg/kg and died immediately. Nine rats received paclitaxel 10 mg/kg; seven of these rats died within 12 h and two rats were killed due to moribund conditions. Ten rats received paclitaxel 5 mg/kg with no morbidity. The following pharmacokinetics for paclitaxel in the plasma were estimated: C0, 8977 ng/ml; AUC(0 --> infinity), 7477 ng*h/ml; CL(s), 668 ml/h*kg; V(ss), 1559 ml/kg; V(z) 2557 ml/kg and t(1/2), 2.6 h. It is concluded that further pharmacokinetic studies that are rationally designed to include appropriate measures of preclinical toxicity associated with paclitaxel are needed to identify formally the safest dose in rats following intravenous administration; however, these data indicate that male Sprague-Dawley rats can safely receive Taxol in a 5 mg/kg i.v. bolus.