True three-dimensional image reconstruction by nuclear magnetic resonance zeugmatography

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) zeugmatographic imaging may become a safe and versatile alternative to medical imaging techniques that employ ionising and ultrasonic radiation. Most of the techniques that have been described for obtaining NMR images use single point, line, or plane scans to give a single slice, or reconstruct only a two-dimensional projection, and are relatively inefficient, complex, or difficult to scale up for use on the human body. There are a number of advantage to scanning simultaneously an approximately spherical volume to obtain a true three-dimensional image. A simple two-stage reconstruction method is described for obtaining such images efficiently with isotropic resolution, and examples are presented to demonstrate the validity and usefulness of this mode. The feasibility of high-resolution imaging on large objects is also discussed.

Pharmacokinetics of [14C]bretylium tosylate in rats

The pharmacokinetics of bretylium tosylate were investigated in eight male Charles River rats. Each animal received an intravenous dose (10 mg/kg) of [14C)bretylium tosylate. Serial blood samples, urine, and feces were collected for up to 72 hr. Bretylium concentrations in plasma and amounts excreted in urine and feces were determined by scintillation counting. On the average, 88 and 95% of the dose were recovered in urine and feces in 24 and 72 hr, respectively. Urinary recovery accounted for 65.6 of the dose while 29.7% was excreted in the feces. Bretylium concentrations in plasma declined triexponentially and were fitted to a three-compartment open model. Bretylium has a very high apparent volume of distribution (15 liters/kg), and its beta half-life averaged 5.5 hr. Mean values of the apparent volume of the central compartment, plasma clearance, renal clearance, and excretion rate constants of bretylium in rats were 1 liter/kg, 1.93 liters/hr/kg, 1.27 liters/hr/kg, and 1.24 hr-1, respectively. The results indicate that: (a) bretylium is strongly bound to the tissues and is eliminated by active urinary secretion and by biliary excretion in rats, and (b) there are strong similarities between the pharmacokinetics of bretylium in humans and rats and that this animal model might be suitable for interaction studies with other drugs.

Tissue distribution of N-acetylprocainamide in rats

The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA) in heart, kidney, and liver tissues of rats and their relationship to the plasma concentration after intravenous administration of the drug (100 mg/kg) to 24 Charles River rats. A specific HPLC procedure was used. The plasma and tissue concentrations of NAPA declined biexponentially in parallel, with an elimination half-life of about 1.8 hr. The equilibrium between plasma and the organs tested in this study was attained within 5 min. The tissue/plasma concentration ratio remained constant throughout the study. The tissue/plasma ratios for heart, kidney, and liver were 2.1, 7.9, and 2.4, respectively. The data indicate that: a) these organs have greater affinity to NAPA than do plasma proteins, and b) plasma concentrations may be reliable measures of the therapeutically effective concentrations at the site of action, i.e., the heart tissues.

Bioavailability of N-acetylprocainamide from mixed diet in rats

The purpose of this study was to determine the bioavailability of N-Acetylprocainamide (NAPA) from mixed diet in rats. Six groups of 8 male Charles River CD rats received NAPA-HCl as follows: Group I, an intravenous dose (mean 21 mg) of 14C-labelled drug. Group II, in a solution given by oral gavage with and without feed (50 mg) in a two-way crossover fashion. Groups III-VI, incorporated in diet (42-68 mg). Urine and feces were collected for 48 hours and assayed for NAPA and procainamide by a specific HPLC method. On the average, 73% of the drug was eliminated unchanged in urine. Only a small percentage (3-4%) of the intact drug was recovered in feces after intravenous or oral administration. There were no detectable levels of procainamide in urine and feces. The absolute bioavailability of NAPA from oral solution with and without feed was 87 and 90%, respectively, and from the mixed diet was 84-92%. There was no statistically significant difference between the bioavailability of NAPA from solution in fasted and fed rats or from NAPA-mixed diet, indicating that the absorption of the drug in rats was not affected by food. The relative bioavailability of the drug from mixed diet ranged from 94-103%.

Pharmacokinetics of procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide in rats

The pharmacokinetics of distribution and elimination of procainamide and its major metabolite, N-actylprocainamide, were studied in rats. Eight rats were selected randomly, and each received intravenously 14C-labeled procainamide hydrochloride (75 mg/kg) or 14C-labeled N-acetylprocainamide hydrochloride (86 mg/kg) according to a two-way crossover design. Serial blood samples were withdrawn for 8 hr, and cumulative urine and feces were collected for 48 hr. The plasma concentration-time relationships of procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide were characterized by one- and two-compartment open models, respectively. A pseudo-three-compartment model was necessary to characterize the time course of N-acetylprocainamide in plasma formed after administration of procainamide. The biological half-lives of procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide averaged 0.66 and 2.1 hr, respectively. The urinary excretion profiles of these drugs and the ratio of their biological half-lives in rats were similar to those in humans.

Evaluation of sustained-action chlorpheniramine-pseudoephedrine dosage form in humans

This investigation compared the bioavailability of chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine from a sustained-action capsule and a combination of two reference standard tablets in 24 normal human subjects. The capsule contained 8 mg of chlorpheniramine maleate and 120 mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, and the tablets each contained half of the amount of the chlorpheniramine or pseudoephedrine in the capsule. Because the capsule was a combination product, a new study design had to be developed to accommodate steady-state conditions for both drugs. Each subject received the capsule (every 12 hr) and the combination of the reference tablets (every 6 hr) for 8 days according to a two-way crossover design. Serial blood and urine samples were taken during the entire study. Plasma and urine samples were assayed for chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine by sensitive and specific high-pressure liquid chromatographic or GLC methods. There were no significant differences in the plasma concentration profiles of chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine at all times, except when the capsule developed peaks or the tablets developed nadirs. The highest mean peak plasma concentrations for the capsule and the tablets were 38.7 and 32.9 ng of chlorpheniramine/,ml and 525 and 515 ng of pseudoephedrine/ml, respectively. The mean biological half-lives of chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine were 21.6 and 8.0 hr, respectively. The AUC and unchanged drug excreted in urine, after a single dose and at steady state, showed that the sustained-action capsule (given every 12 hr) and the reference standard tablets (given every 6 hr) were bioequivalent.

Effect of coronary artery ligation on the pharmacokinetics of N-acetylprocainamide in dogs

The effect of ligation of the left anterior descending and septal coronary arteries on the distribution of N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA) was studied in 13 mongrel dogs. The animals received a rapid i.v. infusion of 20 mg/kg NAPA.HCl. In 6 dogs the arteries were ligated simultaneously 10 min after administration of the drug. The other dogs received the same dose without anesthesia or surgery and served as control. Coronary ligation procedure resulted in a significantly higher initial plasma concentration of NAPA, presumably because of a significant decrease in the apparent volume of central compartment. The biologic half-life, the apparent volume of distribution and the total clearance of the drug remained unchanged in both groups of animals. The results of this study suggest that while the pharmacokinetics of elimination of NAPA remain unchanged, the distribution and the effective plasma concentration might be altered by the coronary ligation procedure under anesthesia.

Determination of procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide in biological fluids by high-pressure liquid chromatography

A modification of a high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide in plasma is described. The deficieicies in the specificity of the existing method were overcome by replacing the cation-exchange column and the mobile phase. The recovery and reproducibility of both procainamide and N-acetylprocainamide from human, dog, and rat plasma and urine spiked with either compound were excellent in the concentration range of 0.05--10 microgram/ml for plasma and 0.5--20 microgram/ml for urine. The comparison of this method with a specific extraction method for sets of plasma samples from human subjects and rats receiving N-acetylprocainamide and procainamide, respectively, showed no statistically significant difference.

Bretylium tosylate intravenous admixture compatibility. I: Stability in common large-volume parenteral solutions

The stability of bretylium tosylate in 11 common large-volume parenteral solutions was studied. Two containers of each solution, one glass and one plastic (except for mannitol and sodium bicarbonate solutions, which were available in glass only), were stored at each of the following conditions: intense light (1400-2000 foot candles), ambient room temperature with normal light, 40 degrees C, and 4 degrees C. All samples were tested at 0 and 24 hours; some samples were also tested at 48 hours and 7 days. Testing included measurement for optical density at 4000 and 600 nm, pH level, and bretylium content as determined by HPLC. The admixtures remained clear and colorless, except that mannitol precipitated out of mannitol solutions stored at 4 degrees C. No appreciable changes in pH were observed. HPLC assays showed no significant changes in bretylium tosylate concentrations. Bretylium tosylate is compatible with each of the 11 common intravenous solutions chosen for investigation under the storage conditions studied. Admixtures with mannitol should not be refrigerated, because mannitol crystallizes from solution at refrigerator temperatures.

GLC determination of bretylium in biological fluids

Bretylium [(o-bromobenzyl)ethyldimethylamine] is a quaternary ammonium compound used as the tosylate salt for treatment of ventricular fibrillation in humans. A sensitive assay was developed for the determination of low bretylium concentrations in plasma and urine. The internal standards were (p-bromobenzyl)ethyldimethylammonium p-toluenesulfonate and (o-methoxybenzyl)ethyldimethylammonium p-toluenesulfonate. Samples were deproteinized with acetonitrile and extracted with methylene chloride. After the evaporation of the organic phase, the residue was reacted with sodium 2,4,5-trichlorothiophenolate in methanol. This procedure yielded volatile compounds with excellent electron-capture capabilities for the GLC analysis. The assay sensitivity is 5 ng/ml. The extraction recovery of bretylium as determined by a direct radioactivity measurement was 90 and 97% for plasma and urine, respectively. The method is highly reproducible with no significant day-to-day variations. Comparisons of 60 standard plasma samples, 25 standard urine samples, and plasma samples from a dog that received [14C]bretylium showed excellent agreement between the GLC method and direct radioactivity measurement of bretylium.

Urinary excretion of chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine in humans

A specific high-pressure liquid chromatographic method for the determination of chlorpheniramine and pseudoephedrine in urine was developed and applied in a urinary excretion study of normal healthy subjects who received a sustained-release dosage form contianing 8 mgof chlorpheniramine maleate and 120 mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride. Five subjects received one dose on Day 1, followed by multiple dosing every 12 hr for 7 days without ammonium chloride administration. Four subjects received one dose of the sustained-release dosage form together with ammonium chloride. Urine samples were collected during the 1st day and at steady state. The method is specific and simultaneously determines choorpheniramine, two metabolites (mono- and di-desmethylchlorpheniramine), pseudoephedrine, and norpseudoephedrine. The assay recovery was less than 97% (0.06-3 microgram/ml) for chlorpheniramine maleate and less than 98% (1.5-75 microgram/ml) for pseudoephedrine hydrochloride. Excretion of chlorpheniramine and its two metabolites in urine was enhanced after ammonium chloride administration. At steady state, a change in urine pH from 5.69 to 6.46 resulted in more than a 25% decrease in chlorpheniramine and monodesmethylchlorpheniramine excretion. In spite of expected changes in its biological half-life, the overall amount of unchanged pseudoephedrine excreted in urine was not affected by urine pH, presumably because it is primarily excreted in urine as intact drug.

Effective plasma concentration of N-acetylprocainamide in rats

Six groups of rats received saline or N-Acetylprocainamide (NAPA) 2--50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally. Thirty minutes later heart rates were measured and simultaneously a blood sample was withdrawn from each rat. There was a linear relationship between plasma concentrations and the administered doses, suggesting linear pharmacokinetics for NAPA. The heart rate was decreased significantly when the average NAPA plasma concentration was 16.8 microgram/ml, which is similar to that found in man.

Simultaneous determination of pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine in pharmaceutical dosage forms

A simple and sensitive high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) determination of pseudoephedrine and chlorpheniramine in a pharmaceutical dosage form is described. Quantities of 1.5 microgram of pseudoephedrine and 0.1 microgram of chlorpheniramine are sufficient to determine concentrations in an aqueous solution. Small volume samples, without any extraction procedures, can be treated for direct drug concentration measurement with a high-pressure liquid chromatograph. The stability-indicating property and the accuracy of this method are comparable to those of an established GLC method. The HPLC method can be applied directly and successfully for dissolution studies. The latter application eliminates the need for volume replacement or subsequent mathematical corrections.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of coumarin anticoagulants XXXIII: frequency distribution of dicumarol total clearance in rats

The total clearance of dicumarol was determined in 172 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Clearance values ranged from 1.46 to 27.0 ml/hr/kg. Statistical analysis of a histogram of the total clearance values indicated a trimodal distribution, with modes at 6.28, 14.8, and 23.7 ml/hr/kg. The percentage of animals in each of these components was 60.5, 33.7, and 5.8. A previous study had shown that the total clearance of dicumarol was proportional to the fraction of nonprotein-bound drug in serum (serum free fraction) and that interindividual differences in total clearance of dicumarol in rats were due almost entirely to corresponding differences in the serum free fraction. Therefore, it is likely that the observed trimodal frequency distribution of total clearance values reflects a similar distribution of serum free fraction values of dicumarol. The frequency distribution curve for dicumarol total clearance is very similar to the trimodal frequency distribution curve for warfarin serum free fraction values in rats. This observation is consistent with the previously demonstrated strong correlation of serum free fraction values of dicumarol and warfarin in individual animals.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of coumarin anticoagulants XXX: Relationship between total clearance and serum protein binding of dicumarol in rats

The effect of serum protein binding on the elimination kinetics of dicumarol was studied. The serum free fraction of dicumarol was essentially independent of concentration over a wide concentration range and ranged from 0.00015 to 0.00079 in 10 adult rats. The total clearance of dicumarol in these animals ranged from 3.93 to 14.5 ml/kg/hr. As in previous studies, there was an excellent linear correlation between the elimination rate constant for dicumarol and the fraction of dicumarol in the liver (i.e., the amount of drug in the liver divided by the amount of drug in the body). Consistent with theoretical considerations, there was a positive and apparently linear relationship between the total clearance and the serum free fraction of dicumarol. The individual serum free fraction and the fraction in liver values for dicumarol were strongly correlated. The pharmacokinetic model based on a proportional relationship between the apparent elimination rate constant and the fraction in the liver applies to dicumarol but not to warfarin and has limited utility. On the other hand, the model relating total clearance to the serum free fraction has been found to apply to dicumarol, warfarin, and other extensively plasma protein-bound drugs and can be utilized under clinical conditions.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of coumarin anticoagulants XXXI: Effect of plasma protein binding on distribution kinetics of dicumarol in rats

The purpose of this investigation was to determine, with respect to dicumarol, the effect of plasma protein binding on the pharmacokinetic parameters used conventionally to describe the distribution kinetics of a drug on the basis of the time course of its plasma concentration. After rapid intravenous injection, plasma dicumarol concentrations in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats declined triexponentially, with the terminal exponential phase starting at about 4 hr. The free fraction f, of dicumarol in the serum of individual animals ranged from 0.000150 to 0.000790. The parameters of the equation Ct = Pe-pit + Ae-alphat + Be-betat for plasma concentration Ct at time t were obtained by nonlinear least-squares computer fitting of the experimental data and varied appreciably between animals. Of these parameters, only beta showed a significant correlation with f. These observations indicate that the distribution kinetics of this very extensively plasma protein-bound drug, as reflected by the time course of its plasma concentration after intravenous injection, are apparently not affected by intersubject differences in plasma protein binding. There is a remarkable similarity in the valves of P, A, B, pi, and alpha for dicumarol and warfarin, even though the serum free fraction of these drugs differs considerably.

Relationship between dicumarol distribution and the effect of enzyme induction on dicumarol elimination in rats

Pronounced intersubject differences in the apparent first-order elimination rate constant (kapp) for dicumarol in rats have been found to be due to corresponding differences in the distribution of dicumarol between the liver (the site of dicumarol biotransformation) and the rest of the body. From theoretical considerations and experimental results in animals given only dicumarol, it has been shown that kapp is linearly related to the fraction of drug in the liver (FL). The proportionality constant (k) for these variables was defined as the intrinsic elimination rate constant for dicumarol which should reflect the activity of the enzyme system(s) involved in the elimination of this drug. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of enzyme induction on dicumarol distribution and on the relationship between kapp and FL in rats. It was found that pretreatment with phenobarbital caused a substantial increase in kapp, but that it had no apparent effect on the serum/liver and serum/kidney concentration ratios of dicumarol. The relative weight of the liver was significantly increased by phenobarbital treatment but the weight of the kidneys was not affected. Linear relationships between kapp and FL were found for both the control and the phenobarbital treated groups, but with a significant difference in the slopes of the regression lines. This study illustrates the application of a pharmacokinetic technique which permits a clear and quantitative distinction between the relative contributions of enzyme activity and body distribution to the in vivo elimination kinetics of a drug.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of coumarin anticoagulants XV: relationship between pharmacokinetics of dicumarol and warfarin in rats

The distribution, elimination, and anticoagulant effect of dicumarol and warfarin were determined in adult males rats following intravenous injection of single doses of these drugs in crossover experiments. The biological half-life of dicumarol ranged from 5 to 28 hr; that of warfarin ranged from 9 to 30 hr. There was a statistically significant correlation between the following pharmacokinetic characteristics of dicumarol and warfarin in individual animals: biological half-life, apparent volume of distribution, total plasma clearance, and concentration in plasma eliciting one-half the maximum anticoagulant effect (effective concentration). The mean ratio of the respective biological half-lives (warfarin/dicumarol) was 1.42, and that of the apparent volumes of distribution was 1.50. The ratio of the effective plasma concentrations (dicumarol/warfarin) was correlated negatively with the half-life of dicumarol and positively with the ratio of the half-life values (warfarin/dicumarol) in individual animals. Additional studies with serum samples from other rats showed pronounced interindividual differences in the serum protein binding of both dicumarol and warfarin and a strong correlation between the protein binding of these two drugs in serum of individual animals. The results of this study, together with the results of previous studies in this series, indicate that serum protein binding is the major determinant of interindividual differences in the pharmacokinetics of dicumarol and warfarin in rats under these experimental conditions.