Kinetics of [14C-5] 8-methoxypsoralen uptake by UVA irradiated and non-irradiated rabbit eye tissues.

Total 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) in intact and UVA irradiated rabbit eye tissues and its unaltered fraction in aqueous and eye lenses were determined over the 24 hours after i.v. injection of [14-C-5] and carrier 8-MOP at the concentration of 50 microCi and 5 mg/kg. No 8-MOP was detected at the end of 24 hours in intact and irradiated aqueous, vitreous and retina in contrast to one hour when the respective levels were congruent to 220, greater than 0 and congruent to 160 ng/g. Eye-plasma drug concentration ratios were less than 0.5 initially, but increased thereafter. While the average lens 8-MOP levels of congruent to 140 ng/g remained unchanged for 24 hours, no unaltered drug was detected beyond eight hours. Measurable amounts of label at the end of 24 hours also persisted in the cornea, iris, sclera and conjunctiva.