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Related Experiment Videos

Activated charcoal in theophylline intoxication.

R E Brashear, G R Aronoff, R A Brier

    The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine
    |September 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary

    Administering activated charcoal orally to dogs accelerated the elimination of theophylline. However, it did not reduce the time plasma levels remained toxic, limiting its clinical use in theophylline overdose.

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    Area of Science:

    • Pharmacokinetics
    • Toxicology
    • Gastroenterology

    Background:

    • Theophylline is a medication used to treat respiratory diseases.
    • Theophylline overdose can lead to serious toxicity.
    • Activated charcoal is often used to treat overdoses by adsorbing substances in the gastrointestinal tract.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the effect of orally administered activated charcoal on the elimination kinetics of intravenously administered theophylline in dogs.
    • To determine if activated charcoal administration alters the time to reach non-toxic theophylline plasma levels.

    Main Methods:

    • Six dogs received intravenous theophylline infusions.
    • Activated charcoal or a placebo (water) was administered via nasogastric tube at intervals after theophylline infusion.
    • Plasma theophylline concentrations were monitored over time to determine pharmacokinetic parameters.

    Main Results:

    • Activated charcoal significantly reduced the theophylline elimination half-life (from 4.02 to 2.76 hours).
    • Activated charcoal also decreased the volume of distribution of theophylline (from 0.72 to 0.61 L/kg).
    • The time for plasma theophylline levels to fall below 20 mg/L was not significantly shortened by activated charcoal administration.

    Conclusions:

    • Orally administered activated charcoal accelerates the elimination of theophylline in dogs.
    • Despite hastened elimination, activated charcoal did not reduce the duration of toxic plasma theophylline levels.
    • The clinical utility of activated charcoal for theophylline overdose may be limited due to its inability to shorten the period of toxicity.

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