Pharmacokinetic and Metabolic Disposition of p-Chloro-m-xylenol (PCMX) in Dogs

The pharmacokinetic and metabolic profile of p-chloro-m-xylenol (PCMX) was studied in healthy mongrel dogs after intravenous and oral administration of single doses of 200 and 2000 mg of PCMX, respectively. Calculation of pharmacokinetic parameters was based on compartmental and noncompartmental methods. The mean pharmacokinetic parameters of elimination half-life and mean residence time were 1.84 and 1.69 hr, respectively. The apparent volume of distribution at steady state was estimated to be 22.4 liters, and the plasma clearance was 14.6 liters/hr. The bioavailability of PCMX was 21%, indicating low absorption for this drug. PCMX's metabolite data show that a presystemic elimination process (first-pass effect) is also occurring. PCMX plasma concentrations after intravenous administration of 500-, 200-, and 100-mg doses were found to be proportional to the dose given, demonstrating that the pharmacokinetic profile of PCMX is linear over the dose range studied. Biotransformation studies showed that urinary excretion was not the major route for rapid elimination of unchanged PCMX and almost all material excreted in urine was associated with the conjugated species (glucuronides and sulfates). Statistical significant differences were not found (P > 0.05) between the percentages excreted in urine of PCMX and its conjugated metabolites after intravenous and oral administration. The percentages excreted in urine after iv and oral doses of unchanged PCMX were, respectively, 0.45 and 0.37; total conjugates, 46.3 and 43.3; sulfates, 38.1 and 33.2; and glucuronides, 8.2 and 10.2.