Application of Whole-Body Liquid Scintillation Counters to Pharmacological Studies

Abstract

The relatively recent development of large-volume liquid scintillation counters [1,2] has made possible research on the development of a new methodology for the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of pharmacologically active substances. In vivo radioassay, as made possible with large-volume liquid scintillators, is particularly attractive to the research pharmacologist for drug screening studies. The obvious advantages of this technique are three in number: (1) observations may be made on the living animal, (2) serial observations may be made on the same animal over extended periods of time and, (3) it should be possible to reduce the size of experimental groups of animals. This technique has not been exploited to date. This paper describes some experiments carried out with diuretic drugs, using a large-volume liquid scintillation counter, and discusses other classes of drugs which might be studied using similar methods.

The drugs used in this study were generously furnished by G.D. Searle and Co., and Merck Sharp & Dohme Co.

Presented at the Fifth Symposium on Advances in Tracer Methodology, 1961.