Renal handling of indomethacin and its relationship with the secretory pathway of prostaglandins

The uptake of prostaglandin E₂, one of the main renal prostaglandins and of p‐aminohippurate, an indicator of the anion organic transport, by slices of kidney cortex from adult female rats was studied in the presence and in the absence of indomethacin. The drug's inhibitory effect on the uptake of prostaglandin E₂ was observed both after in vivo administration as well as when it was present in the bathing media. The effect was more pronounced when the drug was given in vivo and in addition, was present in the bath. [¹⁴C]PAH uptake was inhibited by indomethacin in a dose‐related pattern and the kinetic analysis of this effect is indicative of a competitive inhibition. As expected, uptake of PAH by medullary slices was not affected by the presence of either indomethacin of PGE₂. Indomethacin was more potent in inhibiting PGE₂ uptake than PAH uptake. 1982 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain