Pharmacokinetics and Renal Disposition of Polymyxin B in an Animal Model

ABSTRACTThe increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections has led to the resurgence of systemic polymyxin B, but little is known about its pharmacokinetics. The objective of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics and renal disposition of polymyxin B. Eight female Sprague-Dawley rats (weight, 225 to 250 g) were administered a single intravenous polymyxin B dose (4 mg/kg of body weight). Serial serum samples were collected and assayed for major polymyxin B components using a validated ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. The best-fit pharmacokinetic parameters of each component were derived and compared using one-way analysis of variance. Cumulative urine was also collected daily for 48 h and assayed for polymyxin B. Kidney drug concentrations were measured at 6 h (n= 3) and 48 h (n= 3) after the same dose. Additionally, three rats were administered 2 doses of intravenous polymyxin B (4 mg/kg) 7 days apart. Serial serum samples were collected pre- and post-renal insufficiency (induced by uranyl nitrate) and assayed for polymyxin B. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the major components did not appear to be significantly different (P> 0.05). Less than 1% of the dose was recovered unchanged in urine collected over 48 h following administration. Therapeutic drug concentrations persisted in kidney tissue at 48 h. The post-renal insufficiency to pre-renal insufficiency ratio of the area under the serum concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity was 1.33 ± 0.04. Polymyxin B components appear to have similar pharmacokinetics. Polymyxin B preferentially persists in kidneys, which suggests a selective uptake process in renal cells. A mechanism(s) other than renal excretion could be involved in polymyxin B elimination, and dosing adjustment in renal insufficiency may not be necessary.

Renal Disposition of Colistin in the Isolated Perfused Rat Kidney

ABSTRACT Nephrotoxicity is an important limitation to the clinical use of colistin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other gram-negative pathogens. Previous work reported net tubular reabsorption of colistin by the kidney in vivo, but there is no knowledge of its disposition within the kidney. This study investigated the renal disposition and potential transport mechanisms of colistin in the isolated perfused rat kidney (IPK) model by perfusing with colistin sulfate alone (2 μg/ml) or in the presence of potential inhibitors (tetraethylammonium [TEA], glycine-glycine [Gly-Gly], or hydrochloric acid [HCl]) at three different concentrations. When perfused alone, the renal clearances (CLR) for colistin A and B (the major components of colistin) in control kidneys were constant and low (mean values < 0.05 ml/min throughout the perfusion). The mean clearance ratios [CR, defined as CLR/(f u × GFR), where f u is the fraction of drug unbound in perfusate and GFR is the glomerular filtration rate] were significantly less than 1. It was concluded that there is net tubular reabsorption of colistin, and this exceeded the reabsorption of water. Less than 10% eliminated from perfusate was recovered in urine, suggesting considerable renal accumulation of colistin. The CR values for colistin were significantly increased when perfused with TEA (500 μM), Gly-Gly (833 μM), and HCl (2,500, 5,000, and 10,000 μM). It is proposed that renal reabsorption of colistin may involve organic cation transporters (inhibited by TEA) and peptide transporters (inhibited by Gly-Gly) and that the process is sensitive to the pH of urine.