The intestinal absorption and excretion of 14C drotaverin in rats

The absorption and biliary excretion of drotaverin/a papaverine analogue/were studied in rats. In vivo loop technique was used. The absorption of the compounds from the jejunum was found to be rapid and the activity injected into the duodenal sac to disappear only when the common bile duct was ligated. An appreciable activity was detected in the bile collected by cannulation following both i.v. (67%) or per os (31%) administration. Considerable activity was excreted with the bile even 24 hours after drug administration. A partial entero-hepatic cycle for the drotaverin metabolites is suggested.