An interpretation of the Hill equation: time course of diuretic response after furosemide administration in man.

Response function, which correlates pharmacologic response intensity and the drug concentration, is defined assuming that the biophase (or the site of action) is consisted of the elements responsive to the drug, each of which is in a responding or non-responding state depending on the drug concentration in the biophase. The Hill equation, which has been widely used without a definite rationale, for correlation between pharmacologic response intensity and drug concentration is revealed as an approximate equation of the response function. Diuretic data obtained after administration of furosemide and reported previously are used for conformity assessment of the response function.