Pharmacokinetics of carbisocaine in rats and mice.

[14C]carbisocaine, N-(2-(2-[1-14C]-heptyloxyphenylcarbamoyloxy)-propyl)-diethylammoni um chloride was administered to male Wistar rats, weighing 180-210 g IV in doses of 0.425, 1.425, 2.425 or 4.425 mg/kg or orally in a dose of 2.425 mg/kg. Extraction of carbisocaine from alkaline media into n-heptane was used for assessment of the unchanged drug in plasma, organs and excreta in predetermined time intervals. The two-way analysis of variance confirmed the insignificant effect of subject variability of experimental animals (p greater than 0.05) on plasma data after IV administration. Plasma data following the IV administration were approximated by a linear open two-compartment model with elimination from the central compartment. Regression analysis indicated linearity between carbisocaine plasma AUC and the IV administered dose within the range tested. The following model parameters were obtained: elimination half-life 161.2 +/- 37.5 min, total body clearance 59.5 ml/min/kg, distribution volume in steady state 5616.2 ml/kg and mean residence time 96.7 min. The systemic availability of the orally given carbisocaine was 45.2%, assessed by AUCpo/AUCiv (0-360 min). The brain uptake index of carbisocaine in relation to 3H2O was 57.7 +/- 3.9%. Whole body autoradiographs of mice injected with [14C]carbisocaine documented accumulation of 14C in gall and urinary bladder and in the gut contents and the effective placental barrier against carbisocaine and its metabolites.