Treatment of experimental imipramine and desipramine poisoning in the rat.

The influence of orally administered activated charcoal on organ concentrations of parenteral imipramine and desipramine was investigated. Ancillary distribution experiments indicated that the gastroenteral cycle of these substances might be more important than the enterohepatic cycle. Nevertheless the effectiveness of repeated activated charcoal dosage in lowering antidepressant concentrations of visceral organs is unpredictable. This is interpreted as a consequence of predominant binding of these drugs in the tissues, in contrast to drugs like acetosal and the barbiturates, which are distributed more evenly in the body water. The conclusion is, that activated charcoal has only limited value as an anitdotal adsorbent in imipramine or desipramine poisoning.