Pharmacokinetics of heptastigmine in rats.

Heptastigmine is a new long acting cholinesterase inhibitor that affects behaviour in a number of cognitive tests in animals. We have studied its pharmacokinetics in rats: plasma kinetics were evaluated after single intravenous dose (2 mg/kg), intramuscular (4 mg/kg) and oral (4 and 8 mg/kg) administration. Tissue distribution (heart, liver, kidney and brain) was studied after single intramuscular (4 mg/kg) and oral (8 mg/kg) administration. Plasma and tissue kinetics were also investigated after repeated oral doses (8 mg/kg b.i.d. for 7 days). Heptastigmine levels in plasma and tissues were determined using an HPLC method with an electrochemical detector. After a single dose, heptastigmine remained for a long time in plasma (the terminal half-life was about 12 h), distributed widely in tissues (the volume of distribution was about 61) and brain concentrations were very high (4-22 times those found in plasma). After repeated oral doses, the drug levels increased in plasma and, to a lesser extent, in liver and kidney.