Effects of dose, flow rate, and bile acid on diclofenac disposition in the perfused rat liver.

An in situ perfused rat liver system is useful for studying the hepatic disposition of drugs and their metabolites. However, the effects of the perfusion conditions on drug disposition are unclear. We examined the effects of conditions such as flow rate (13 or 26 mL/min) and bile acid on disposition of diclofenac (DF) as a model drug and DF metabolites [diclofenac-1-O-acyl glucuronide (DF-Glu) or 4'-hydroxydiclofenac (DF-4'OH)] in the absence of albumin. DF, DF-Glu, and DF-4'OH concentrations in the perfusate and cumulative amounts of DF-Glu excreted in bile were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography methods. DF in the perfusate was rapidly eliminated as the perfusate flow rate increased. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 60 min (AUC0-60) for DF-Glu and DF-4'OH in a perfusate containing bile acid was lower at a flow rate of 26 and 13 mL/min, respectively. The bile flow rate at 26 mL/min with 24 μM of bile acid in the perfusate was significantly higher (ca. 3.5 times) compared with that at 13 mL/min without bile acid. Cumulative biliary DF-Glu excretion was also dramatically affected by the flow rate and addition of bile acid. This study indicated that the flow rate and bile acid in the perfused rat liver were key factors for bile flow rate and DF, DF-Glu, and DF-4'OH disposition in the absence of albumin.