Influence of Acid or Alkaline Treatment on Tissue Distribution and Urinary Excretion of (³H)-Cocaine on Acutely Treated Rats

Abstract

The effects of acid (NH₄Cl, 60 mg/kg) or alkaline (NaHCO₃, 400 mg/kg) pretreatment on tissue disposition and urinary excretion of (³H)-cocaine and its metabolites were assessed in rats. Animals were decapitated 4 hr after 1.9 μCi in 40 mg/kg cocaine (Cl⁻) in experiments on the biological disposition and the plasma, brain, and liver were assayed. In experiments on urinary excretion, 10 μCi were given and urine was assayed after 18, 24, and 48 hr. Pretreatment with NH₄Cl produced a decrease of rates of cocaine + norcocaine in the brain as well as of the polar metabolites (benzoylecgonine, ecgonine benzoylnorecgonine). Forty-eight hours after injection of (³H)-cocaine, NH₄Cl produced an increase of the rates of cocaine and its metabolites in the urine. Pretreatment with NaHCO₃ causes a decrease of total radioactivity (cocaine + metabolites) in the plasma and in the liver, as well as a decrease of the levels of cocaine + norcocaine in the liver, as well as an increase of the rate of polar metabolites that are excreted in the urine. These data suggest that the decrease of pH after acid treatment produces ionization of basic molecules; these do not penetrate as well in the tissues for which they have no affinity. As a consequence, the urinary excretion is more important. It is possible that alkaline treatment accelerates the excretion of cocaine and its metabolites because it increases diuresis.