Fig. 1.

Budesonide in the plasma and lung. A: plasma budesonide over time in nanograms per milliliter (left axis) and as a percentage of the 0.75-mg dose (0.25 mg/kg dosed at 3 kg) given by tracheal instillation with surfactant (right axis). Percentage of dose was calculated on the basis of Hct of lamb and the assumption of a 80 ml/kg of blood volume. B: budesonide in lung in milligrams at 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h (left axis) and percentage of original 0.75-mg dose (right axis). Budesonide was extracted from lung tissue without (gray bars) and with (striped bars) deesterification to measure total budesonide in the lungs. Budesonide increased by 40% after deesterfication. n = 5 or 6 animals per time point and condition. Values are expressed as means ± SE. *P < 0.05 vs. the previous time point. #P < 0.05 vs. nonhydrolyzed.