Kinetics of 35S-perazine in the bile fistula rat

Summary Anesthetized male rats with a bile fistula received 25 mg/kg ³⁵S-labeled perazine (Per) i.p. and bile fractions were collected for 4 h. Per and its metabolites were measured in bile, various organs and the residual cadaver by reverse isotope dilution. Nearly half of the administered radioactivity appeared in bile, major metabolites being the glucuronides of hydroxyperazine (OH-Per) and hydroxydesmethylperazine (OH-DMP) and polar non-hydrolyzable conjugates. The fraction of unconjugated compounds contained small quantities of Per and desmethylperazine (DMP). Excretions of total radioactivity, OH-Per glucuronide and polar conjugates were significantly reduced when rats had been pretreated for 7 days with 50 mg/kg Per p.o. When 5 mg/kg ³⁵S-Per was injected into the portal vein of bile fistula rats and bile was collected for 2 h, excretion proceeded faster than in the former case, but the composition of biliary metabolites was the same as in rats treated i.p., and the same effects of Per pretreatment were observed.N-[-(Phenothiazinyl-10)-propyl]-ethylenediamine (PPED) which accumulated upon repeated Per administration was most probably not responsible for the impairment of aromatic hydroxylation, since oral application of PPED did not influence the biliary excretion of OH-Per glucuronide following i.p. dosage with 25 mg/kg Per.The predominant tissue metabolite besides Per was DMP; in liver, also PPED was present in considerable quantities. DMP concentrations in liver and brain were increased by Per pretreatment.Experiments in which OH-Per or DMP was administered to bile fistula rats revealed that OH-DMP was predominantly produced via DMP.It is concluded that pretreatment of rats with Per interferes with the hepatic hydroxylation of Per to OH-Per with subsequent decrease of biliary excretion of its glucuronide.     

Attenuation of Kupffer Cell Activation in Cold-Preserved Livers After Pretreatment of Rats with Methylprednisolone or Its Macromolecular Prodrug

Purpose. Activation of hepatic Kupffer cells (KCs) during organ preservation and subsequent reperfusion causes release of proinflammatory mediators and is responsible, at least in part, for rejection of transplanted livers. Our hypothesis was that donor pretreatment, before liver harvest, with methylprednisolone (MP) or its dextran prodrug (DMP) would reduce KC activation. Methods. Adult donor rats were administered a single 5-mg/kg (MP equivalent) IV dose of MP or DMP or saline 2 h before liver harvest. The livers were then stored in University of Wisconsin solution for 24, 48, or 96 h (n = 4/treatment/time). A recirculating perfusion model was used to study, for 180 min, the release of KC activation markers, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- and acid phosphatase, and other biochemical indices from the cold-preserved livers. Results. Cold ischemia-reperfusion resulted in release of substantial levels of TNF- in untreated groups. Pretreatment of rats with MP or DMP caused a significant (p < 0.0001) reduction in TNF- AUC in the perfusate, with no significant differences between MP and DMP. The maximum inhibitory effect of MP (77.5 ± 10.2%) was observed after 48 h of preservation, whereas DMP showed maximal inhibition of TNF- AUC at both 24 (74.5 ± 15.8%) and 48 (74.8 ± 12.6%) h of preservation. Similarly, both MP and DMP resulted in a significant (p < 0.0004) decrease in acid phosphatase levels of cold-preserved livers. However, neither pretreatment had any substantial effect on the levels of other biochemical markers. Conclusions. Both MP and DMP pretreatments decreased the release of TNF- and acid phosphatase from livers subjected to cold ischemia preservation. Therefore, pretreatment of liver donors with MP or its prodrug decreases KC activation by cold ischemia-reperfusion.     

Mirex-induced suppression of biliary excretion of polychlorinated biphenyl compounds

Isolated perfused rat liver preparations were utilized to study the drug-induced modification of biliary excretion of [¹⁴C]4-chlorobiphenyl (1-CB) and [¹⁴C]2,4,5-2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (6-CB) and their metabolites. The effect of pretreatment of rats with mirex was compared with that of phenobarbital (PB) and 6-CB by measuring the biliary excretion of 1-CB and the pharmacokinetics of 1-CB and its metabolites in the perfusate of liver preparations obtained from control and treated rats. The biliary excretion of 1-CB metabolites by mirex-pretreated livers was suppressed by 92% of that in control livers. The rate of metabolism of 1-CB by mirexpretreated livers was slightly decreased. However, the suppression of biliary excretion of 1-CB metabolites does not appear to be related either to decreased rate of metabolism or to the rate of bile flow. These conclusions are borne out from the following two observations: first, the metabolites of 1-CB accumulate at increasing concentrations in the perfusate of mirexpretreated livers; secondly, mirex-pretreated livers had elevated bile flows. Biliary excretion of exogenously added metabolites of 1-CB by mirextreated livers was suppressed by 85% of that of control livers. PB and 6-CB pretreatment caused a statistically significant increase in the biliary excretion of 1-CB metabolites. This was accompanied by a slight but statistically nonsignificant increase in the rate of bile flow. Biliary excretion of 6-CB was completely suppressed by mirex pretreatment and was unaffected by PB. These results indicate that while PB-induced modification of biliary excretion of PCBs may be associated with their metabolism, mirex-induced suppression is associated with the transport of otherwise readily excretable metabolites from the hepatocytes into the bile canaliculi.     

Effects of clofibrate and indocyanine green on the hepatobiliary disposition of acetaminophen and its metabolites in male CD-1 mice

1. The effects of clofibrate (CFB) and indocyanine green (ICG) on the biliary excretion of acetaminophen (APAP) and its metabolites were investigated. 2. Male CD-1 mice were pretreated with 500?mg CFB/kg, i.p. for 10 days. Controls received corn oil vehicle only. After overnight fasting, common bile duct-cannulated mice were challenged with a non-toxic dose of APAP (1 mmol/kg, i.v.). 3. CFB pretreatment did not affect bile flow rate, nor did it affect the cumulative biliary excretion of APAP and its conjugated metabolites. 4. Additional CFB or corn oil pretreated mice were given 30 μmol indocyanine green (ICG)/kg, i.v., immediately before APAP dosing. ICG is a non-metabolizable organic anion that is completely excreted into the bile through a canalicular transport process for organic anions. 5. ICG significantly decreased the bile flow rate and biliary concentration of APAPglutathione, APAP-glucuronide and APAP-mercapturate within the first hour after dosing without affecting the biliary concentration of APAP. 6. The results indicate thatCFB pretreatment does not affect the total amount of APAP and its metabolites excreted in bile. They also suggest that the biliary excretion of several conjugated metabolites of APAP share the same excretory pathway with the organic anion ICG.     

Effects of clofibrate and indocyanine green on the hepatobiliary disposition of acetaminophen and its metabolites in male CD-1 mice

1. The effects of clofibrate (CFB) and indocyanine green (ICG) on the biliary excretion of acetaminophen (APAP) and its metabolites were investigated. 2. Male CD-1 mice were pretreated with 500 mg CFB/kg, i.p. for 10 days. Controls received corn oil vehicle only. After overnight fasting, common bile duct-cannulated mice were challenged with a non-toxic dose of APAP (1 mmol/kg, i.v.). 3. CFB pretreatment did not affect bile flow rate, nor did it affect the cumulative biliary excretion of APAP and its conjugated metabolites. 4. Additional CFB or corn oil pretreated mice were given 30 mumol indocyanine green (ICG)/kg, i.v., immediately before APAP dosing. ICG is a non-metabolizable organic anion that is completely excreted into the bile through a canalicular transport process for organic anions. 5. ICG significantly decreased the bile flow rate and biliary concentration of APAP-glutathione, APAP-glucuronide and APAP-mercapturate within the first hour after dosing without affecting the biliary concentration of APAP. 6. The results indicate that CFB pretreatment does not affect the total amount of APAP and its metabolites excreted in bile. They also suggest that the biliary excretion of several conjugated metabolites of APAP share the same excretory pathway with the organic anion ICG.     

Effects of Methylprednisolone and Its Liver-Targeted Dextran Prodrug on Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury in a Rat Liver Transplantation Model

Purpose To evaluate the effectiveness of a liver-targeted dextran prodrug (DMP) of methylprednisolone (MP) in cold preservation–warm reperfusion injury associated with liver transplantation. Methods The effects of donor pretreatment with single 5 mg/kg doses of MP or DMP on ischemia–reperfusion damage to the liver were studied after 8 or 24 h of cold preservation in both isolated perfused rat liver (IPRL) and syngeneic orthotopic rat liver transplantation (OLT) models. Results In IPRL studies, donor pretreatment with DMP, and to a lesser degree MP, significantly improved the uptake of hyaluronic acid (HA), a marker of endothelial cell function, following 8 h of cold preservation. However, neither pretreatment was protective after 24 h of preservation. In the OLT model using 24-h-preserved livers, the seven-day survival of untreated grafts was 50%. DMP pretreatment of donors significantly improved graft survival to 100%, whereas MP pretreatment was ineffective. Additionally, only DMP significantly increased the blood glucose concentrations and decreased the plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-α after OLT. Other measured markers of liver injury were not affected by either pretreatment. Conclusions Selective delivery of methylprednisolone to the liver as a donor pretreatment strategy improves 24-h preserved graft survival in the OLT model.     

Choleresis and hepatic transport mechanisms

Summary To investigate, whether binding to micelles has a function in hepatic transport, biliary excretion of three organic anions, phenolphthalein-\-D-glucuronide (PG), dibromosulphthalein (DBSP) and indocyanine green (ICG) was studied in rats during saline, taurocholate or dehydrocholate administration. Taurocholate causes a weak choleresis with formation of biliary micelles, dehydrocholate a strong choleresis with little micelle formation. The two bile salts did not uniformly influence biliary excretion of the organic anions: biliary excretion of ICG (12.9 moles/kg) and DBSP (75.0 moles/kg) was stimulated by both bile salts: ICG excretion most pronounced by taurocholate and DBSP excretion most strongly by dehydrocholate. Biliary output of PG (25.8 and 200 moles/kg) was not stimulated by bile salt administration. Binding of PG, DBSP and ICG to biliary micelles was studied in sedimentation experiments by ultracentrifugation. PG, DBSP and ICG in bile showed a similar sedimentation pattern as ³H-taurocholate in bile, which indicates an association of all three anions with biliary micelles.Thus, the influence of bile salts on biliary transport of organic anions varies with the compound studied and the bile salt used, effects which cannot be explained by differences in binding to biliary micelles.The previously published paper of Vonk et al. (1974) is regarded as paper I in this series.     

Phenobarbital alters hepatic Mrp2 function by direct and indirect interactions

Phenobarbital (PB) treatment impairs the biliary excretion of some organic anions. One mechanism may involve direct competition for biliary excretion by PB and/or a PB metabolite. Alternatively, PB may alter the expression and/or function of hepatic organic anion transport proteins. The role of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) in the biliary excretion of PB and metabolites was studied using isolated perfused livers (IPLs) from Wistar and Mrp2-deficient TR- rats. In normal livers, 4.19 +/- 0.53% of the PB dose was recovered in bile as PB metabolites [2.21 +/- 0.69% as 5-ethyl-5-(4-OH phenyl) barbituric acid (PBOH)-glucuronide; 1.98 +/- 0.09% as PBOH-sulfate]. In TR- livers, only PBOH-sulfate was recovered in bile (0.35 +/- 0.16% of dose) during the 2-h perfusion. Mrp2 message was increased (2.3-fold) by PB pretreatment (80 mg/kg i.p. x 4 days) but decreased to control values after a 48-h washout. Mrp2 protein was increased slightly in PB-treated livers and remained slightly elevated after a 24-h washout, but it was decreased significantly to 62 +/-7% of control values after a 48-h washout. The 120-min cumulative biliary excretion of the Mrp2 substrate 5-(and-6)-carboxy-2', 7'-dichlorofluorescein in IPLs from PB-treated rats after a 48-h washout was significantly lower than in vehicle-treated livers (66.3 +/- 9.2% versus 83.4 +/- 2.4% of the dose, respectively). These data support two mechanisms for impaired biliary excretion of some organic anions by PB treatment: 1) PBOH-glucuronide is a substrate for Mrp2 and may compete with other organic anions for biliary excretion and 2) Mrp2 protein expression and functional capacity is decreased 48 h after PB treatment.     

Multiple mechanisms are involved in the biliary excretion of acetaminophen sulfate in the rat: role of Mrp2 and Bcrp1.

Previous reports have demonstrated that sulfate metabolites may be excreted into bile by the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2, Abcc2). Although recombinant human breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2) has affinity for sulfated xenobiotics and endobiotics, its relative importance in biliary excretion of sulfate metabolites in the intact liver is unknown. In the present studies, the potential contribution of Bcrp1 to the biliary excretion of acetaminophen sulfate (AS) was examined following acetaminophen administration (66 micromol, bolus) to isolated perfused livers (IPLs) from wild-type Wistar and Mrp2-deficient (TR(-)) Wistar rats in the presence or absence of the Bcrp1 and P-glycoprotein inhibitor, GF120918 [N-(4-[2-(1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6,7-dimethoxy-2-isoquinolinyl)ethyl]-phenyl)-9,10-dihydro-5-methoxy-9-oxo-4-acridine carboxamide]. Recovery of AS in bile of TR(-) rat livers was approximately 5-fold lower relative to wild-type controls (0.3 +/- 0.1 versus 1.5 +/- 0.3 micromol). In the presence of GF120918, biliary excretion of AS was decreased approximately 2-fold in both TR(-) (0.16 +/- 0.09 micromol) and wild-type (0.8 +/- 0.3 micromol) rat IPLs. These changes were primarily due to alterations in the rate constant governing biliary excretion of AS, which was decreased approximately 90% in TR(-) relative to wild-type rat IPLs (0.02 +/- 0.01 versus 0.2 +/- 0.1 h(-1)) and was further decreased in the presence of GF120918 (0.010 +/- 0.003 and 0.12 +/- 0.05 h(-1); TR(-) and wild-type, respectively). In vitro assays indicated that impaired AS biliary excretion in the presence of GF120918 was due to inhibition of Bcrp1, and not P-glycoprotein. In conclusion, Mrp2 and, to a lesser extent, Bcrp1 mediate biliary excretion of AS in the intact liver.     

The effect of diethylstilbestrol treatment on the metabolism and biliary excretion of [14C]phenytoin in the isolated perfused rat liver

The metabolism and biliary excretion of [¹⁴C]phenytoin (DPH) were examined in isolated perfused livers taken from Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/day diethylstilbestrol (DES) sc for 6 days. No difference was seen in the rate of disappearance of DPH from the perfusate or in the perfusate levels of its hydroxylated metabolite, 5-phenyl-5-para-hydroxyphenylhydantoin (HPPH). The biliary excretion of HPPH-glucuronide, however, was significantly depressed in livers from DES-treated rats and resulted in a significant increase in the amount of HPPH-glucuronide appearing in the perfusate. A linear relationship existed between the percentage decrease in biliary excretion of HPPH-glucuronide and the log of the pretreatment dose of DES. Bile flow was significantly depressed at all pretreatment doses of DES such that bile flow was 53.7 and 10.9% of bile flow in controls after 0.01 and 1.0 mg/day DES, respecively. The low bile flow appeared to limit secretion of HPPH-glucuronide in the bile since the maximal concentration of HPPH-glucuronide in bile was greater in livers from DES-treated rats than controls and no significant differences were found in the maximal bile/perfusate concentration ratios of HPPH-glucuronide.     

Multidrug resistance p-glycoprotein 2 is essential for the biliary excretion of indocyanine green.

Multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein 2 (Mdr2) is a phospholipid translocator in the canalicular membrane that is essential for the formation of biliary phospholipid vesicles and mixed lipid/bile salt micelles. Incorporation into biliary vesicles and micelles is thought to contribute to the hepatobiliary excretion of certain hydrophobic organic anions, such as indocyanine green (ICG). The present studies characterized the biliary excretion of two hydrophobic organic anions, ICG and estradiol-17beta(beta-D-glucuronide) (E(2)17G), in the single-pass isolated perfused liver and the biliary excretion of glutathione (GSH) in vivo in wild-type and Mdr2-/- female mice. The biliary excretion of ICG (0.4 micromol) was reduced by 90%, while the biliary excretion of total GSH was decreased by 65% in Mdr2-/- mice relative to wild-type mice. In contrast, the biliary excretion of E(2)17G (0.1 micromol) was increased by 30% in Mdr2-/- mice. These data indicate that the absence of Mdr2 differentially influences the biliary excretion of these organic anions and suggest that phospholipid vesicles and mixed micelles in bile are essential for the biliary excretion of ICG.     

Effects of gomisin A on liver functions in hepatotoxic chemicals-treated rats

The effects of gomisin A, which is a lignan component of schizandra fruits, on liver functions in various experimental liver injuries and on bile secretion in CCl4-induced liver injury were studied. Gomisin A weakly accelerated the disappearance of plasma ICG by itself at a high dose (100 mg/kg, i.p.). All of the hepatotoxic chemicals used in this study inhibited the excretion of ICG from plasma. Gomisin A showed a tendency to prevent the delays of the disappearance of plasma ICG induced by CCl4, d-galactosamine and orotic acid, but not that by ANIT. Bile flow and biliary outputs of total bile acids and electrolytes (Na+, K+, Cl- and HCO3-) were decreased in CCl4-treated rats. Gomisin A maintained bile flow and biliary output of each electrolyte nearly to the level of the vehicle-treated group, but did not affect biliary output of total bile acids. These findings suggest that gomisin A possesses a liver function-facilitating property in normal and liver injured rats and that its preventive action on CCl4-induced cholestasis is due to maintaining the function of the bile acids-independent fraction.     

Cholestasis induced by model organic anions protects from acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in male CD-1 mice

Administration of the non-metabolizable organic anion indocyanine green (ICG) prior to a toxic dose of acetaminophen (4-acetamidophenol; APAP) reduces liver injury 24 h after dosing. ICG also produces a dose-dependent decrease in bile flow in mice and rats. Studies in bile duct-cannulated rats suggest that cholestasis can play a role in this protection. This study was conducted to determine if the ability of model organic anions to produce cholestasis is relevant to the protection against APAP hepatotoxicity afforded by ICG. In these studies, overnight fasted male CD-1 mice were dosed (i.v.) with the cholestatic dyes bromcresol green (BCG, 30 μmol/kg) and rose bengal (RB, 60 μmol/kg) immediately prior APAP administration (500 mg/kg, i.p.). Other groups of mice received the non-cholestatic dyes dibromosulphthalein (DBSP, 150 μmol/kg) and amaranth (AM, 300 μmol/kg) prior to APAP. Controls were given vehicle only. Hepatocellular necrosis was evident at 24 h in control mice receiving APAP. Pretreatment with the cholestatic dyes BCG and RB decreased the severity of hepatocellular necrosis induced by APAP. However, administration of the non-cholestatic dyes DBSP and AM did not alter APAP-induced liver damage. Glutathione replenishment was not altered by pretreatment with any of these dyes. Furthermore, ICG protected mice against carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) hepatotoxicity. Since CCl₄ undergoes minimal biliary excretion and does not compete for biliary transport fuction, this finding supports the notion that cholestasis itself rather than competition for canalicular transporters is central to the hepatoprotection by ICG and other cholephilic dyes.     

Hepatic transport of indocyanine green in dogs chronically intoxicated with dimethylnitrosamine

Hepatic transport of indocyanine green (ICG) was examined in dogs chronically intoxicated with dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) (2 mg/kg) intraportally once a week for 6 weeks. In pathophysiological consequences, significant increases (p less than 0.05) were shown in both glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and total plasma bile acids, but no significant difference was shown in body weight, liver wet weight, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), plasma alkaline phosphatase activity, total plasma protein, and total plasma bilirubin. By histologic examination of livers from intoxicated dogs, increased fibrosis in periportal, perisinusoidal, and especially pericentral areas, with loss of normal architecture, was observed. Partial fibrous bridging between periportal and pericentral areas was also demonstrated, but extensive pseudolobulation with regenerative nodules was not observed. The portal venous pressure of the intoxicated dogs was increased by approximately 50% of that of control dogs. In intoxicated dogs, delays were shown in both plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of ICG and significant decreases were observed in the pharmacokinetic parameters k12 (plasma to liver transfer rate constant), V2 (distribution volume of liver compartment), and CLtot (total body-plasma clearance), while a significant increase was observed in k23 (intrahepatic diffusion and transport rate constant); the V1 (distribution volume of plasma compartment) was not altered. From these findings, it is suggested that the decrease in the intrinsic clearance of ICG for the hepatic uptake process might explain the decrease in ICG uptake rate into the liver which was observed in the DMN-intoxicated dogs. Dogs chronically intoxicated with DMN might be a good model for studying hepatic dysfunction.     

Dose-dependent biliary and renal excretion of paracetamol in the rat.

In rats, the biliary and renal excretion of paracetamol changed in a dose-dependent manner. After an oral nonhepatotoxic dose of 200 mg/kg paractamol, the drug excreted in the bile amonted to only 5.5% within 24 h, whereas 72% of the dose were excreted into the urine. Following an oral hepatoxic dose (1,000 mg/kg), the biliary excretion of thotal paracetamol was enhanced to 13.5% whereas the renal elimination was reduced to 51% of the dose. After a nontoxic intravenous treatment with paracetamol (25-100-400 mg/kg), both the excretion of paracetamol conjugates into the bile and the elimination of free paracetamol into the urine were augmented in a dose-dependent manner. Hepatic damage due to carbon tetrachloride pretreatment (0.5 ml/kg i.p. 24 h before 100 mg/kg paracetamol i.v.) diminished both the bile flow and the biliary excretion of paracetamol conjugates, whereas the renal elimination was not affected.     

Biliary Excretion of Ouabain in Isolated Perfused Rat Liver after Treatment with Microsomal Enzyme Inducers1

Abstract The effects of pretreatment with spironolactone, phenobarbital and 3,4–benzpyrene on biliary excretion of ouabain was studied in isolated perfused rat liver system after a single dose of ³H–ouabain. Spironolactone pretreatment (100 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 4 days) changed the time course of the excretion, thus accelerating the transport of ouabain into the bile. Phenobarbital pretreatment (75 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 4 days) enhanced bile flow and increased biliary excretion of ouabain only after 15 min. At longer time periods the increase in bile flow diluted the bile level of ouabain there being no difference in the amounts excreted into the bile between the treated and untreated groups. 3,4–benzpyrene pretreatment (20 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 4 days) was without effect on biliary excretion of ouabain. The results suggest that spironolactone differs from phenobarbital in its enhancing effect on biliary excretion of ouabain, possibly through a specific effect on an unknown hepatic transport mechanism.     

Influence of Indocyanine Green on Plasma Disappearance and Biliary Excretion of a Synthetic Thrombin Inhibitor of the 3-Amidinophenyl-alanine Piperazide-type in Rats

Purpose. The pharmacokinetics of a number of synthetic peptidomimetic thrombin inhibitors is determined by extensive hepatic elimination. The objective was to further characterize the disposition in vivo of Pefa 1023, a novel 3-amidinophenylalanine piperazide-type thrombin inhibitor, by influencing the hepatic handling with indocyanine green (ICG), which is actively taken up by the liver. Methods. Pefa 1023 was administered intravenously to bile duct-cannulated rats, either alone or in combination with ICG. The concentrations of Pefa 1023 in blood plasma and bile were measured by a bioassay (thrombin clotting time), concentrations of indocyanine green were measured spectrophotometrically. Results. ICG (10 mg/kg i.v. 15 min prior to or simultaneously with Pefa 1023) markedly influenced the plasma level and biliary excretion rate of the thrombin inhibitor Pefa 1023 given in a dose of 1 mg/kg i.v. The plasma level was more than twice that of the control, the maximum biliary excretion rate about one third and the fraction of dose excreted in bile about two thirds. Conclusions. The anionic dye ICG is able to interfere with the hepatic handling of a cationic, amidinophenylalanine piperazide-type thrombin inhibitor with the consequence of reduced hepatic clearance leading to higher plasma levels and lower biliary excretion of the latter.     

Hepatic pharmacokinetics of taurocholate in the normal and cholestatic rat liver

The disposition kinetics of [3H]taurocholate ([3H]TC) in perfused normal and cholestatic rat livers were studied using the multiple indicator dilution technique and several physiologically based pharmacokinetic models. The serum biochemistry levels, the outflow profiles and biliary recovery of [3H]TC were measured in three experimental groups: (i) control; (ii) 17 alpha-ethynylestradiol (EE)-treated (low dose); and (iii) EE-treated (high dose) rats. EE treatment caused cholestasis in a dose-dependent manner. A hepatobiliary TC transport model, which recognizes capillary mixing, active cellular uptake, and active efflux into bile and plasma described the disposition of [3H]TC in the normal and cholestatic livers better than the other pharmacokinetic models. An estimated five- and 18-fold decrease in biliary elimination rate constant, 1.7- and 2.7-fold increase in hepatocyte to plasma efflux rate constant, and 1.8- and 2.8-fold decrease in [3H]TC biliary recovery ratio was found in moderate and severe cholestasis, respectively, relative to normal. There were good correlations between the predicted and observed pharmacokinetic parameters of [3H]TC based on liver pathophysiology (e.g. serum bilirubin level and biliary excretion of [3H]TC). In conclusion, these results show that altered hepatic TC pharmacokinetics in cholestatic rat livers can be correlated with the relevant changes in liver pathophysiology in cholestasis.     

Effect of Various Antidotes on Biliary Excretion of Arsenic in Isolated Perfused Livers of Guinea Pigs after Acute Experimental Poisoning with As2O3*

Abstract: The effect of the dithiols British Anti-Lewisite (BAL), dimercaptopropanesulfonic acid (DMPS), dimercaptosuc-cinic acid (DMSA) and a new metal binding agent 2, 3–bis-(acetylthio)-propanesulfonamide (BAPSA) on the biliary excretion of arsenic in perfused livers of guinea pigs after acute experimental poisoning with As₂O₃ was investigated. Guinea pigs received As₂O₃, 10.0 mg/kg subcutaneously at 9 a. m. as a single injection. One hour after the injection the livers were perfused (2.5 mix min.^–1 x g^–1 liver) with Krebs-Henseleit buffer and glucose for 80 min. After 40 min. of saline perfusion (control) 0.1 or 0.7 mmol/1 BAL, DMSA, DMPS, or BAPSA were added to the perfusate and arsenic elimination in the bile and effluent perfusate was measured. The biliary excretion of arsenic in control livers between 40 and 80 min. was 0.7% of the total arsenic liver content before perfusion (= arsenic liver content after perfusion + portion excreted in the bile + perfusate). After antidote addition (0.1 mmol/l) the excretion was 0.2% for livers perfused with BAL, 6.8% for DMSA, 10.6% for DMPS, and 11.1% for BAPSA, respectively. After 0.7 mmol/l antidote the excretion of arsenic was 0.1% in livers perfused with BAL, 9.6% for DMSA, 12.3% for DMPS, and 13.3% for BAPSA, respectively. Except BAL, all compounds and most effectively BAPSA increased biliary excretion of arsenic. This indicates that excretion of arsenic which normally is mainly renal is shifted towards faecal excretion by the dithiols.     

Toxic effect of streptozotocin on the biliary secretion of nicotinamide-treated rats

The effect of streptozotocin (SZ) on bile flow (BF) and on protein and lipid biliary outputs were studied in rats with bile fistula. SZ was given i.v. as a single dose (50 mg/kg body wt.). Nicotinamide was administrated (500 mg/kg body wt., i.p.) 10 min prior to SZ. Decreases in BF and in biliary outputs of bile acids, proteins and acid phosphatase were observed in SZ-treated rats; conversely, the biliary excretion of cholesterol and phospholipids was increased. Nicotinamide pretreatment prevented the hyperglycemia induced by SZ and also suppressed the SZ-mediated increase of cholesterol and phospholipid biliary outputs, suggesting that they could be related to the diabetic state. The results also demonstrated a direct effect of SZ on BF and on the biliary excretion of bile acids and proteins. Since SZ is used clinically, and in experimental diabetes, the effects produced by this drug on the rat liver should be considered.