EFFECT OF ORAL ACTIVATED-CHARCOAL ON VANCOMYCIN CLEARANCE IN RABBITS WITH ACUTE-RENAL-FAILURE

The effect of oral administration of activated charcoal on total body clearance of vancomycin administered intravenously (7.5 mg/kg) has bee n studied in normal rabbits and rabbits with induced renal failure. Ga stric intubation of a single dose (10 g) of activated charcoal to norm al rabbits did not produce a statistically significant effect on any p harmacokinetic parameter for vancomycin. The mean vancomycin clearance s were (mean +/- s.d.) 80.82 +/- 6.8 and 75.24 +/- 9.61 ml/h/kg with a nd without activated charcoal administration, respectively. To examine whether renal failure would influence the effect of activated charcoa l and enhance the systemic clearance of vancomycin, uranyl nitrate was used (0. 75 mg/kg, i.v.) to induce acute renal failure in rabbits. Th e derived pharmacokinetic parameters of vancomycin were consistent wit h renal failure, No significant differences were observed in any of th e calculated pharmacokinetic parameters between the control and charco al treated rabbits. The lack of effect may be attributed to the large molecular weight of vancomycin.