Abstract
Objective—To determine concentrations of tritiated polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (3H-PSGAG) in serum, urine, and the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of rabbits after IM administration and molecular weight of 3H-PSGAG recovered from the SDFT.
Animals—Twenty-five 12-week-old New Zealand White rabbits.
Procedure—Rabbits were given a single dose of 3H-PSGAG (1.1 mg/kg [70 mCi of specific activity/kg] of body weight) IM. At each of 5 sample times (2, 24, 48, 96, and 192 hours), 5 rabbits were randomly selected and sedated, and blood and urine samples were collected. Rabbits were then euthanatized, and the SDFT were immediately harvested from the hind limbs. Scintillation spectrometry was used to detect concentration of 3H-PSGAG in fluid and tissue samples. Gel-filtration chromatography was used to determine molecular weight of recovered 3H-PSGAG.
Results—Mean concentrations of 3H-PSGAG in SDFT, serum, and urine were greatest 2 hours after administration. Tritiated PSGAG could be detected in all samples collected 192 hours after administration. Gel-filtration chromatography confirmed that 3HPSGAG detected in SDFT samples was high molecular weight PSGAG.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicate that PSGAG is distributed to the SDFT, serum, and urine after IM administration in rabbits. Further study is needed to determine whether the same is true in horses and to determine what effect, if any, PSGAG has on inflammation of the SDFT. (Am J Vet Res 2000;61:20–23)
