Disposition of prednisolone in the course of subclinical fascioliasis in sheep.

1. The in vivo disposition of prednisolone in sheep was studied before, during and after recovery from experimental hepatitis of parasitical origin (fascioliasis). 2. After i.v. administration, plasma clearance of prednisolone was increased from 0.93 +/- 0.13 l/kg per h before infection to 1.73 +/- 0.50 l/kg per h at week 21 post-infection. The steady state volume of distribution was increased from 0.45 +/- 0.08 l/kg during the control period to 1.26 +/- 0.44 l/kg at week 5 post-infection. 3. None of the prednisolone binding parameters (specific and non-specific sites) was modified, and the overall mean unbound fraction was 24%. 4. Urinary excretion of unchanged prednisolone was low and only a trace of 6 beta-hydroxy-prednisolone was identified.