Tissue distribution and metabolic disposition of zidovudine in rats.

The tissue distribution and metabolic fate of [5'-3H]zidovudine was studied in rats after a single dose of 10 mg/kg by gavage. The drug was absorbed rapidly and distributed into all tissues. Peak blood and tissue levels were observed 0.25 hr post-dose. The level of peak radioactivity in the stomach, intestine, liver, spleen, adrenals, and kidney was higher than in plasma, while in the heart, lung, thymus, lymph nodes, muscle, bone, and skin it was similar to that in plasma. Only in the testes and the brain the radioactivity was lower than in plasma. Blood and plasma radioactivity levels were nearly equivalent. A biphasic disappearance of radioactive material was observed in blood and plasma, as well as in most tissues, with a rapid decline in the early phase (0.25-4 hr) and a slower decline thereafter. The 0-24-hr urinary and fecal recoveries (mean +/- SD) of radioactive material were 78 +/- 14% and 20 +/- 9% of dose, respectively, indicating virtually complete recovery of the radioactive dose. Reversed-phase HPLC analysis indicated that approximately 88% of urinary radioactivity corresponded to unchanged zidovudine, with the remaining radioactivity accounted for by five metabolites. One of these urinary metabolites was identified as 3'-azido-3'-deoxy-5'-O-beta-D-glucopyranuronosylthymidine and another as 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine (AMT). The majority of fecal radioactivity (greater than 70%) corresponded to AMT. There is a component of biliary excretion in the disposition of zidovudine. At least 7% of a parenteral dose of zidovudine was secreted in the bile, primarily as 3'-azido-3'-deoxy-5'-beta-D-glucuronylazidothymidine, which may be a source of fecal AMT.