The fate of [14C]disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) has been examined in 12 asthmatic patients. Maximum plasma concentrations (mean 9.2 ng/ml) were obtained within 15 min of inhaling DSCG (20 mg) and the average plasma half‐life was 81 min. Although absorption from the lung is rapid, most of the inhaled dose is swallowed. Only 2.0% of the dose was excreted in the urine, and 84% was recovered from the faeces. DSCG is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, only 0.4 % of an oral dose (20 mg) appeared in the 24 h urine and 83 % was recovered from the faeces. Intravenous administration of DSCG resulted in approximately equal amounts (30–50% of dose) being excreted via the urine and faeces. No metabolites of DSCG were detected chromatographically.

1. The fate of (-)-quinic acid has been investigated in 22 species of animals including man. 2. In man and three species of Old World monkeys, i.e. rhesus monkey, baboon and green monkey, oral quinic acid was extensively aromatized (20-60%) and excreted in the urine as hippuric acid, which was determined fluorimetrically. 3. In three species of New World monkeys, i.e. squirrel monkey, spider monkey and capuchin, in three species of lemurs, i.e. bushbaby, slow loris and tree shrew, in the dog, cat, ferret, rabbit, rat, mouse, guinea pig, hamster, lemming, fruit bat, hedgehog and pigeon, oral quinic acid was not extensively aromatized (0-5%). 4. In the rhesus monkey, injected quinic acid was not aromatized, but largely excreted unchanged. 5. In rhesus monkeys pretreated with neomycin to suppress gut flora, the aromatization of oral quinic acid was considerably suppressed. 6. In rats and rhesus monkeys [(14)C]quinic acid was used and this confirmed its low aromatization in rats and its high aromatization in the monkeys. 7. Shikimic acid given orally was excreted as hippuric acid (26-56%) in rhesus monkeys, but not in rats. 8. The results support the view that quinic acid and shikimic acid are aromatized by the gut flora in man and the Old World monkeys.

The clinical pharmacology of 3H-salbutamol has been investigated in 12 asthm

1. The fate of SH-salbutamol given orally, by aerosol and intravenously, has been investigated in asthmatic patients.2. Salbutamol was extensively metabolized to a polar metabolite. Both free salbutamol and the metabolite were excreted in the urine, the ratio varying with the route of administration.3. The metabolite found in man is different from that previously found in the rat and the rabbit. Details of its chemical properties are given. b). MethodsAsthmatic patients were given SH-salbutamol : (a) orally (4-8 mg ; 42-244 pCi ; 6 patients) ; (b) by pressurized aerosol (044-0.1 mg ; 19-47.5 pCi ; 6 patients) ; and (c) intravenously (0.02-0.2 mg ; 9-5-95 pCi ; 3 patients).