Enhanced elimination of theophylline, phenobarbital and strychnine from the bodies of rats and mice by squalane treatment.

Our previous study suggested that squalane would be a good candidate for an antidote to reduce the toxicity of drug ingested accidentally at a high dose by enhancing the drug elimination from the body. In the present study, we investigated whether squalane given orally could enhance the elimination of theophylline, phenobarbital and strychnine which were administered parenterally to rats or mice. Squalane increased the fecal excretion of theophylline and reduced the serum level of the drug in rats. Squalane accelerated the fecal excretion of strychnine in mice. These results suggest that squalane may stimulate more the elimination of neutral (theophylline) or basic (strychnine) drugs which should be present in unionized form in intestinal lumen, than that of acidic drugs.