title: Pharmacokinetics, biological effects, and distribution of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in blood and organs in rabbits.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics, biological effects and distribution in blood and organs of 125I-labeled (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan purified from Candida albicans were analyzed in rabbits during the 24-h period following an intravenous administration.The intravascular half-life of (1-->3)-beta- D-glucan was 1.8 min in the low-dose group (9.3 mug/kg) and 1.4 min in the high-dose group (222 mug/kg), and the mean (+/-SD) total body clearance was 1.12 +/- 0.30 and 1.17 +/- 0.16 ml/min, respectively. The rabbits remained well and (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan failed to alter blood cell counts. Less than 3% of the (125)I-(1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was initially associated with the cellular compartment, and this value decreased further during the 2-h period following administration (P = 0.0001). Over 97% of (125)I-(1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was associated with cell-free plasma, and the majority in plasma appeared to be present in the unbound form (not associated with lipoproteins or plasma proteins). The liver contained more than 80% of the (125)I-(1-->3)-beta-D-glucan detected in the six major organs analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Fourth Depar tmentof Internal Medicine Teikyo University School of Medicine 74 Mizonokuchi Takatsu-ku Kawasaki City 213 Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grunfeld
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Feingold
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Levin