Pharmacokinetics of auranofin a single dose study in man.

Three days after cholecystectomy 7 patients were given a single dose of auranofin (5 tablets Ridaura = 4.35 mg gold). Gold was detected in samples of blood, plasma, urine, bile and feces. The determinations were carried out using instrumental neutron activation analysis. The mean gold concentrations reached maximum in blood and plasma after 2 h and in urine and bile after 16 h. The mean terminal half-lives were 7.6 days (blood), 15 days (plasma) and 6.5 days (bile). Cumulative amounts of gold excreted in bile, urine, and feces were 1.6, 4 and 40%, respectively.