The use of [3H]vasopressin for in-vivo studies of controlled delivery from an accurel/collodion device in the Brattleboro rat

Accurel polypropylene/collodion controlled drug-delivery devices containing 22 μg [3H]-vasopressin (VP) were implanted s.c. in VP-deficient Brattleboro rats. This caused a decrease in their urine production for at least 50 days, at which time the Accurel device was removed. Release of VP was followed by measurements of tritium radioactivity and by radioimmunoassay of VP in the urine. These parameters showed a constant pattern during the whole period. After re-implantation of the Accurel devices in another group of Brattleboro rats, release of VP continued to give the same level of urine production as during the last period of the first implantation. It is concluded that release of VP in-vivo is not influenced by encapsulation of the Accurel polymer by connective tissue, or that adaptation of the kidney adds to the maintenance of the urine production at this low level. In-vivo release rate is calculated to be about 1% of the original load each day. The in-vitro release in a flow cell system appeared to produce the same release rate which indicates that these data have a predictive value for the in-vivo situation.