Urinary pH and urine flow independent renal clearance of methotrexate in dogs

The effects of urine flow and pH on methotrexate renal clearance were studied in seven conditioned male Beagle-Mongrel dogs. Steady-state plasma methotrexate and inulin concentrations were achieved by i.v. infusions preceded by i.v. bolus doses. Plasma and urine concentrations of methotrexate were quantitated by a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic assay, while those of inulin were measured by a colorimetric method. Since plasma protein binding of methotrexate was pH and concentration independent, methotrexate/inulin renal clearance without correcting for plasma binding was used for most of the data analyses. The results showed that the renal clearance ratios at the plasma methotrexate levels (approximately 0.1, 1.0, 20.0 and 100 micrograms/ml) studied remained relatively constant when urine pH (differences of up to about 2.5 units) and flow rate (differences of up to approximately 30 times) were changed. This indicated that renal reabsorption of methotrexate in these dogs was negligible. However, concentration-dependent renal clearance was observed. The mean renal clearances were 3.84, 3.94, 2.73, and 2.72 ml/min/kg at plasma concentrations of about 0.1, 1.0, 20.0, and 100.0 micrograms/ml, respectively, when urine was alkalized by sodium bicarbonate. The corresponding clearances were 4.02, 4.28, 2.62,and 2.65 ml/min/kg when urine was acidified by ammonium chloride. These showed the existence of saturable tubular secretion of methotrexate. No 7-hydroxy-methotrexate, a metabolite found in other species, was detected in the urine and plasma of the dogs.