Hepatic storage and biliary excretion of rose bengal in the rat.

The distribution of intravenously administered rose bengal (RB) depends on its dose. At a low dose (10 mg/kg), RB can be found almost solely in the liver and plasma. However, at higher doses (from 25 up to 200 mg/kg) the amount of RB found in extra-hepatic tissues gradually increases. In this experiment the hepatic transfer maximum of RB amounted to 146 micrograms/kg/min. By increasing the dose from 10 to 200 mg/kg, the hepatic concentration of RB also approached a maximum (1250 micrograms/g). The storage capacity of the liver, however, did not limit the transfer maximum of RB.