Systemic availability of o,p'-DDD in normal dogs, fasted and fed, and in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism

The systemic availability of o,p'-DDD was studied in 12 normal dogs and seven dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH). The drug was given by mouth at 50 mg kg-1 and plasma o,p'-DDD concentrations were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. First, six normal dogs were given the drug three times at intervals of one week in a Latin square pattern. Systemic drug availability was found to be very poor from intact tablets in fasted dogs, better with pure drug dissolved in maize oil given by stomach tube, and best with ground tablets mixed in oil poured on dog food. Then six normal dogs and five with PDH were given one dose of o,p'-DDD as intact tablets in dog food. Systemic drug availability was good in the normal animals and, for unknown reasons, better in dogs with PDH. The half-time of elimination was shorter in dogs with PDH than in normal ones. There was evidence of a gradual rise in plasma o,p'-DDD concentrations in seven dogs with PDH treated with 25 mg kg-1 every 12 hours for 14 or 20 days. The interaction between food and o,p'-DDD probably contributes to the variation in clinical response of dogs treated with the drug. The efficiency of therapy with o,p'-DDD should be improved considerably by administering the drug with food.