Pharmacokinetics of catalytically tritiated glycosaminoglycans in the rat

Glycosaminoglycan mixture catalytically labelled with tritium gas (3H-GAG) was shown to have chemical characteristics and antithrombin-heparin cofactor activity in vitro similar to those of the native mixture of glycosaminoglycans (GAG). Rats were orally dosed with 3H-GAG in either aqueous solution or vegetable oil emulsion and the quantity of radioisotope absorbed assessed at various intervals. The quantity of 3H in plasma plateaued 8 h after dosing and remained near peak levels at least 16 h. Time dependent accumulation of the radioisotope within liver, spleen and testes was also observed.