CONCENTRATION-TIME COURSE IN THE PLASMA OF MAN OF RADIOMERCURY INTRODUCED AS A MERCURIAL DIURETIC 1

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Abstract
The concn.-time course of a mercurial diuretic labeled with radioactive mercury and injd. intraven. was studied in 15 human subjects. Analysis of the regression curves demonstrates that there are at least 3 major exponential rates responsible for the decline in concn. of Hg in the plasma. The 1st rate is apparently dependent to a large extent on mechanical mixing; the 2d is possibly due to relatively rapid adsorptive, chemical and diffusion phenomena with migration into dynamic and more stable compartments; the 3d rate is most probably a reflection mainly of excretory processes, principally urinary. It was not possible from these data to draw any conclusions as to differences because of the various clinical states in the subjects studied. Comparison of these curves with those similarly obtained for Na indicate that there may be slight differences in the early portions of the regression curves and that great differences exist in those portions of the curves dependent on the excretion of the isotope. The concn. of Na in the plasma practically reaches an equilibrium, whereas the concn. of Hg may reach a steady state but does not approach an equilibrium due, in part, to rapid elimination.

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