ABSTRACT
In experiments on rabbit peripheral lymph, the contribution of the blood and lymphatic system to the whole-body distribution of inulin after subcutaneous administration has been investigated and the effects of hyaluronidase and of thermal stimulus at the administration site examined. Inulin concentrations in lymph exceeded plasma concentrations by more than 100-fold. At the end of the experiment (90 min) the amount of drug in the total lymph collected was about one-seventh the amount found in urine. The blood system, as a result of higher circulation at the administration site distributes inulin from the subcutis more rapidly than does lymph. Hyaluronidase did not influence inulin concentrations in blood and lymph but thermal stimulus significantly decreased both concentration and total distribution. The decrease resulted from a developed oedema and vasoconstriction in the skin and subcutis of the cannulated extremity.