THE PHARMACO-KINETICS OF TELEPAQUE METABOLISM: THE RELATION OF BLOOD CONCENTRATION AND BILE FLOW TO THE RATE OF HEPATIC EXCRETION

Abstract

The pharmaco-kinetics of the hepatic excretion of Telepaque were studied in 2 types of acute animal experiments. In the first type, the biliary excretion of Telepaque was examined, while the bile flow was maintained constant and Telepaque was infused at a rate necessary to achieve a constantly rising blood level. In the second type, the biliary excretion was measured while the blood level of Telepaque was kept constant and the bile flow was increased with taurocholate. The results show that, while the bile concentration and the blood level of Telepaque are related hyperbolically, there is a linear correlation between the total amount of Telepaque excreted per unit time and the bile flow. Consequently, there is little justification for increasing the dose of Telepaque in an effort to improve gallbladder visualization radiographically. Reduced bile flow causing impaired hepatic excretion of Telepaque may be an important factor in poor opacification of the gallbladder noted clinically in a number of different circumstances.