Hepatic clearance and disposition of hydroxyethylrutosides

Although salts of rutin on i-v admin. undergo insolubilization giving rise to concretions and suppurative inflammation in the liver this was not observed in respect of the vaso-active hydroxyethylrutosides (Pfeifer et al., 1970). I-v admin. of 3',4',7-tri0-(beta-hydroxy[14C]ethyl)-rutoside (tri-HR) and 7-mono0-(beta-hydroxy[14C]ethyl)rutoside (mono-HR) to mice showed rapid biliary excretion (approx. 71% within 24 h). Approx. 2/3 of the dose was subsequently excreted in faeces and ca. 25% in urine over 72 h. Autoradiography and scintilation counting showed short term concentration in the liver over the initial 4 h period but at 72 h less than 0.22% of tri-HR and 0.59% of mono-HR was detectable in hepatic tissue. Carcasses of mice killed at 72 h contained less than 7% of the initial dose which was mainly present in intestinal contents.