Toxicokinetics and metabolism of N-[(14)C]N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone in male Sprague-Dawley rats: in vivo and in vitro percutaneous absorption.

Neat N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) rapidly penetrated into the skin of male Sprague-Dawley rats after in vivo and in vitro topical application. At the two topical doses tested in vivo, no steady state was observed. The maximal absorption fluxes were 10 and 20 mg/cm(2)/h for 20 microl/cm(2) and 40 microl/cm(2), respectively. Similar results were observed after in vitro topical application of neat [(14)C]NMP (25-400 microl/cm(2)) in fresh full-thickness skin. Whatever the dose tested, the percutaneous absorption fluxes increased with exposure time to reach a maximum value (F(max)) and then decreased. F(max) and the time to reach it (T(max)) increased as the dose increased. At the highest dose, which may be considered as an "infinite dose," the maximal flux (7.7 +/- 1.1 mg/cm(2)/h, n = 12) occurred 6 h after the topical application of NMP. The decrease on percutaneous absorption flux was correlated with the dilution of neat NMP with water from the receptor fluid. A semi-quantitative mathematical model was developed to describe the absorption flux of NMP taking into account the transfer of water through the skin. The K(p) values determined from the different aqueous solutions of NMP (1:1 to 1:32, v/v) were not significantly different. The mean value was 6.4 (10(-3) cm/h) (range, 4.7 to 7.6). Occlusion did not affect the percutaneous absorption flux of neat NMP. Desquamation increased the percutaneous absorption of NMP slightly. The skin did not metabolize NMP. The flux was dependent on the thickness of the skin and was proportional to the concentration of NMP. These findings suggest a passive diffusion of NMP through the skin.

Toxicokinetics and metabolism of N-[14C]methylpyrrolidone in male Sprague-Dawley rats. A saturable NMP elimination process.

This study evaluated the toxicokinetics of N-[(14)C]methylpyrrolidone ([(14)C]NMP) after intravenous administration (0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 500 mg/kg, in saline solution) or topical application (20 and 40 micro l/cm(2); 10 cm(2), neat) in haired male Sprague-Dawley rats. Whatever the dose, unchanged NMP was intensively distributed into the body with a volume of distribution of 69% of body weight. After this phase, unchanged NMP declined almost linearly with time for 3 to 4 h after administration and then followed a mono-exponential function (t1/2 = 0.8 h) for the three lowest doses. The maximal plasma level of 5-hydroxy-N-methylpyrrolidone (5-HNMP), the main metabolite, was reached 4 to 6 h later for the three lowest doses and 8 to 24 h later for the highest doses. These findings indicate that the elimination of NMP is governed by a saturable metabolism process. The Michaelis-Menten parameters estimated from plasma levels of unchanged NMP were 2 mM and 3.8 mg/h, respectively. Between 4 and 10% of the administered doses were excreted in the urine as unchanged NMP. Urinary clearance of NMP (0.03 to 0.07 ml/min) indicates intensive tubular reabsorption. 5-HNMP was the main urinary metabolite and accounted for 42 to 55% of the administered doses. Its maximal urinary excretion occurred between 4 and 6 h after administration of the three lowest doses and between 8 and 24 h for the two highest doses. Urinary clearance (0.9 to 1.3 ml/min) was compatible with renal elimination by simple glomerular filtration.