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Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Intravascular Delivery of Biologics to the Rat Kidney
Published on: September 1, 2016
Transepithelial transport of levofloxacin in the isolated perfused rat kidney
1Department of Pharmacy, Kyoto University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Purpose:
The transepithelial transport of levofloxacin was evaluated in the isolated perfused kidney to investigate its renal secretory mechanisms.
Methods:
Levofloxacin was instantaneously administered into the renal artery together with inulin and Evans blue-labeled albumin, and the single-pass dilution curves of the renal venous and urinary outflow were determined in the absence or presence of various compounds. Kinetic parameters were computed based on non-compartment moment analysis.
Results:
The ratio of fractional excretion to filtration fraction (FE/FF) for levofloxacin was 2.99 +/- 0.18, indicating the involvement of tubular secretion. In the presence of cimetidine and quinolones, the FE/FF of levofloxacin was significantly decreased and the transepithelial mean transit time (Tcell) of levofloxacin was prolonged. The Tcell showed a negative correlation with renal secretion of levofloxacin, while the volume of distribution of levofloxacin showed no correlation.
Conclusions:
Transport on the brush-border membrane plays a determining step in the renal secretion of levofloxacin, and cimetidine and quinolones interact with levofloxacin transport on the brush-border membrane.
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