Pharmacokinetic aspects of sulfobromophthalein transport after diethyl maleate pretreatment in rats.

The pharmacokinetics of sulfobromophthalein was studied in the rat after depletion of hepatic glutathione levels induced by intraperitoneal administration of diethyl maleate (4.0 mmol/kg). After an intravenous bolus injection of sulphobromophthalein (120 mumol/kg) a biexponential plasma decay was found both in control and diethyl maleate pretreated rats. The initial plasma clearance Cl12 was not modified by diethyl maleate administration. The rate constant of biliary excretion K23 was significantly lowered in diethyl maleate pretreated rats, which could by explained by the change in the biliary excretory process. The cumulative biliary excretion of sulphobromophthalein was decreased by about 50% following diethyl maleate injection, with a reduction of the percentage of conjugated dye excreted into bile.