title: Absorption and distribution characteristics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) after an application to the liver surface in rats in order to reduce systemic side effects.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to elucidate the absorption and distribution characteristics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) after its application to the liver surface in rats to examine the possibility of reducing the systemic side effects of this agent. 5-FU was applied to the surface of the liver by employing a cylindrical diffusion cell. Approximately 69% of the dose was absorbed in 360 min. The time course of the change in the amount of 5-FU remaining in the diffusion cell obeyed first-order kinetics. Also, a linear relationship was observed between the apparent permeability coefficient, P app, and the reciprocal of the square root of the molecular weight of several compounds including 5-FU. The estimated P app value of 5-FU was in good agreement with the experimental value. The plasma concentration of 5-FU was low (<1.2 microg/ml) until 360 min after the application. Following i.v. administration, 5-FU was rapidly eliminated from the plasma and could not be detected at 120 min. In the analysis of tissue distribution, the liver was divided into three sites; the region under the diffusion cell attachment site (site 1), the treated lobe excluding site 1 (site 2), and untreated lobes (site 3). After being administered i.v., 5-FU mainly distributed in the kidney, and the concentration in the liver was significantly lower than that in kidney, spleen, or heart. After its application to the liver surface, however, 5-FU preferentially distributed at site 1, and was not detected at the other sites or in other tissues. Thus, these results suggested the possibility of a reduction in the systemic side effect of 5-FU on its application to the liver surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fumoto
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Mikiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Junzo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Koyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D005472:Fluorouracil