(3-14C) coumarin distribution in rat tissues after the injection of a single dose

Experimentally it has been shown that coumarin is a very effective therapy in the treatment of high protein oedemas. This study reports on the distribution of a single dose of 3-14C-coumarin in rats. Blood levels of coumarin were always much lower than those of the tissues at similar times. The half life of 3-14C-coumarin and its labelled metabolites was found to be about 43 hours. This ties in fairly well with the optimum frequencies of the administration of the drug which was found to be 24 hours. At this time, skin and muscle levels (the tissues most effected in lymphoedema and in thermal oedema) were maximal.