Failure of oral activated charcoal to accelerate the elimination of amiodarone and chloroquine.

1. The effect of activated charcoal on the elimination of amiodarone and chloroquine was studied in the rat. 2. The study consisted of two separate experiments. Amiodarone and chloroquine were injected subcutaneously at doses of 200 mg kg-1 and 100 mg kg-1, respectively. Six rats in both experiments were put on a charcoal-containing diet 48 h after drug administration, while the control groups remained on a normal diet. 3. Treatment with repeated oral activated charcoal had no effect on the true elimination of amiodarone and chloroquine. 4. These results suggest that, after the distribution of amiodarone and chloroquine into peripheral compartments, their rate of elimination cannot be significantly accelerated with multiple oral doses of activated charcoal.