Effect of Bile Salts on Partitioning and Oral Toxicity of the Bisquaternary Ammonium Drug Decamethonium Bromide

Abstract

The bisquaternary ammonium drug decamethonium bromide was studied in bile salt solutions in regard to partitioning in vitro and lethality when absorbed from duodenal and ileal segments of rats. Sodium glycocholate, when present below or above itscmC, had little effect on the partitioning of decamethonium from a phosphate buffer into n-octanol. In vivo, no significant change in lethality (absorption) could be attributed to either the absence of endogenous bile (ligated bile duct) or the presence of normal amounts of bile (unligated bile duct). Bile salts do not appear to alter lethality (absorption) of this bisquaternary drug when given to rats via the enteral route.