title: Pharmacokinetics of nitroglycerin in rats.
abstract: The plasma nitroglycerin levels obtained after intracardial (0.7 mg/kg), oral (7 mg/kg), and topical (7--14 mg/kg) doses of nitroglycerin in rats are reported. Nitroglycerin followed essentially one-compartment kinetics after intracardial administration, showing a mean half-life of about 4 min and a mean apparent volume of distribution of about 3 liters/kg. After oral drug administration, "flip-flop" kinetics were evident. The mean oral bioavailability was determined to be 1.6%, firmly supporting the contention that nitroglycerin is extensively metabolized during first passage through the liver. Under the experimental conditions studied, no detectable levels of nitroglycerin were observed after topical application.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D006321:Heart; D007267:Injections; D007700:Kinetics; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005996:Nitroglycerin