The handling of bilirubin and sulfobromophthalein by the isolated perfused rat liver.

The isolated perfused rat liver was used for the study of the characteristics of bilirubin transfer from perfusate to bile in comparison to those of sulfobromophthalein (BSP). The parameters estimated included mean extraction ratio, removal half life, hepatic clearance, intrinsic or metabolic clearance rate of biliary excretion, hepatic concentration and biliary concentration for both compounds. The results obtained favoured the conclusion that bilirubin was less efficiently handled than BSP by the isolated rat liver.