TY - JOUR T1 - Pentaerythritol tetranitrate and metabolites in rat plasma. JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 218 LP - 223 VL - 192 IS - 1 AU - M Crew AU - M D Melgar AU - F J Di Carlo Y1 - 1975/01/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/192/1/218.abstract N2 - Intact pentaerythritol (PE) tetranitrate and all seven of its metabolites were present in blood withdrawn from the hearts of rats dosed by gavage with 14-C-PE tetranitrate (10 mg/kg). The plasma half-life (T 1/2) of PE tetranitrate was 2 hours which is far longer than the rat T 1/2 values of all other organic nitrates in clinical use. PE trinitrate, the obligatory metabolite of PE tetranitrate now in clinical trial, establishes much higher plasma levels and has a longer T 1/2 (3 hours) than its parent drug. PE trinitrate glucuronide acts as a reservoir for its aglycone and remains in blood for 48 hours after PE tetranitrate administration. ER -