Pharmokinetics of 2'-deoxycoformycin in normal and L1210 leukemic mice

Following intravenous administration, 2'-deoxycoformycin (0.25 mg/kg) was rapidly distributed to tissues of both normal mice and mice bearing L1210 leukemia cells and readily eliminated, primarily by urinary excretion. Elimination of 2'-deoxycoformycin from plasma was biphasic, and half-lives for the alpha- and beta-phases of 10 and 33 min for normal mice and 7 and 40 min for L1210-bearing animals. The volume of distribution at steady state was approximately 20 ml, suggesting that the drug was distributed in the total body water for both groups of mice. The kidney, liver, small intestine, spleen, thymus, and L1210 tumor had tissue/plasma ratios greater than or equal to 1 at 15 min after dosing. In both groups, greater than 90% of the dose of 2'-deoxycoformycin was recovered in the urine within 3 hr. As determined by bioautography of urine samples, no detectable metabolism occurred. The presence of the L1210 tumor caused changes in the tissue distribution of 2'-deoxycoformycin. At later time periods, tissues from tumor-bearing mice contained significantly higher levels of this drug when compared to normal mice. However, the tumor was without significant effect on blood levels or urinary excretion of 2'-deoxycoformycin.