THE DISTRIBUTION OF AN OIL-BASED CORTICOSTEROID FOLLOWING INTRALYMPHATIC INFUSION

Abstract

Following infusion of tritium labeled clobetasol propionate
in Ultrafluid Lipidol (UFL) into a right hind
limb lymphatic of rabbits, the radioactivity levels in
various tissues at intervals up to 28 days were determined
by liquid scintillation counting. There was a rapid
decline in activity in the right popliteal node over the
first three days due to early bloodstream absorption.
From three to 28 days radioactivity levels were consistently
higher in the right popliteal node and lung than
in other tissues sampled. This distribution suggests that
there is an affinity between clobetasol and the lipidol
vehicle which retards (but does not prevent) free diffusion
of this agent out of lymphatic tissues. Thus, while
permitting generalized perfusion of tissues by clobetasol
propionate, intralymphatic infusion maximizes its initial
concentration and duration of activity within specific
node groups and, therefore, may be useful in certain patients
with primary lymphedema where lymph nodes affected
by fibrosis constitute a major site of obstruction.