Effects of biliary excretion on the disposition of felodipine and metabolites in the rat.

1. After i.v. and intraduodenal administration of 3H-felodipine to rats, approx. 50% of the dose was excreted in bile in the first 6 h. Total urinary and biliary recoveries after both administration routes were similar. 2. Neither unchanged felodipine nor oxidized pyridine metabolite was detected in bile. Bile collection had no effect on the blood concentration-time profiles of either compound. 3. Bile collection decreased the area under the blood concentration-time curve (AUC) of total, unidentified felodipine metabolites by 30%, and their urinary recovery by 50%. 4. Of the total metabolites excreted in bile, 40% was calculated to be subject to enterohepatic recycling. 5. The dose-normalized AUC of both felodipine and pyridine metabolite were decreased after intraduodenal administration of drug, indicating pre-systemic elimination of drug, and possibly of the pyridine, in the gut. Route of administration had no effect on the AUC of total unidentified metabolites.