Fig. 7.

Schematic of a classical pharmacokinetic model for i.v. bolus administration. A representative two-compartment PK model with a central compartment and a peripheral compartment is shown. Elimination is restricted to the central compartment. Master equations for the two compartments are also shown, where C_c and C_p are NP concentrations in the central and peripheral compartments, respectively; k₁₂ and k₂₁ are the rates of transfer of NPs between central and peripheral compartments, and k₁₀ is the rate of elimination of NPs from the central compartment. C₀ is the concentration in the central compartment at time zero. All mass transfer processes are assumed to follow first-order kinetics, and solution of the coupled ordinary differential equations provides the temporal evolution of NP concentration in the given compartments