The plasma kinetics and tissue distribution of the gastrokinetic (+/-)-cis-4-amino-5-chloro-N-[1-(3-(4-fluorophenoxy)propyl]-3-methoxy-4- piperidinyl]-2-methoxybenzamide monohydrate (cisapride, R 51 619) have been studied in the rat, rabbit and dog. After intravenous administration to rats (5 mg/kg) and dogs (0.63 mg/kg) plasma level-time curves were adequately fitted to a two-compartmental model. The plasma clearance (ClT) and volume of distribution (Vdss) averaged 91 ml/min.kg and 4.7 l/kg in the rat and 4.2 ml/min.kg and 0.82 l/kg in the dog, respectively. Following oral administration, cisapride was rapidly and almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract in rats and rabbits. The absorption was somewhat slower in the dog. In male rats the plasma radioactivity was mainly due to metabolites, unaltered cisapride representing on average 10% of the total radioactivity. A markedly larger proportion of the parent drug was seen in female rats. Linear plasma kinetics were observed for cisapride in the dose range of 10 to 160 mg/kg. Similarly in the dog, linearity was observed after oral administration in the range of 0.31 to 10 mg/kg. The plasma kinetics remained unaltered on repeated oral doses of 10 mg/kg to rats and subchronic intravenous administration at 0.63 mg/kg to dogs. Compared with intravenous administration, the absolute bioavailability of oral cisapride was 23% in rats and 53% in the dog for the drug given in solution. The terminal plasma half-life of cisapride was about 1-2 h in the rat and about 4-10 h in the rabbit and dog.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)