Comparative in vivo and in vitro studies of phenytoin protein binding and in vitro lipolysis in plasma of pregnant and nonpregnant rats.

This investigation was designed to determine the cause of the changes in drug protein binding that occur in rat plasma, particularly in plasma from pregnant animals, during in vitro drug-protein binding measurements. In vivo estimates of phenytoin binding in plasma were obtained from steady-state CSF-plasma concentration ratios in pregnant and nonpregnant rats. Immediate ultrafiltration of heparin- or EDTA-anticoagulated plasma yielded phenytoin free fraction values that were in good agreement with in vivo estimates for nonpregnant rats but that were about one-third higher than in vivo estimates for pregnant animals. In vitro free fraction values tended to increase during incubation of plasma and/or during equilibrium dialysis. The concentrations of the four major endogenous free fatty acids were similar in plasma of pregnant and nonpregnant rats if determined immediately after blood collection. Six hours of incubation at 37 degrees C caused fatty acid concentrations to increase about fivefold and twofold in heparin-anticoagulated plasma from pregnant and nonpregnant animals, respectively. The corresponding increases in EDTA-anticoagulated plasma were only about twofold and 1.14-fold, respectively. These changes were associated with decreased plasma protein binding of phenytoin. The in vivo differences between pregnant and nonpregnant rats with respect to phenytoin binding in plasma are not due to differences in fatty acid concentrations, but the in vitro differences are due primarily to corresponding differences in free fatty acid concentrations if extensive in vitro lipolysis occurs.