The metabolic disposition of etodolac (etodolic acid) was studied after oral and intravenous administration of the 14C-labeled or unlabeled drug to rats and dogs, and after oral administration of the drug to man. In all species, peak serum drug levels were attained within 2 hr after dosing. In rats and dogs, virtually all of the oral dose was absorbed; etodolac represented 95% of the serum radioactivity in rats and 75% in dogs. Serum levels in all species were generally dose-related. The elimination portion of the serum drug concentration/time curves was characterized by several peaks, which in rats were shown to be due to enterohepatic circulation. Tissue distribution studies in rats showed that radioactivity localized primarily in blood vessels, connective tissue, and highly vascularized organs (liver, heart, lung, and kidney) and that the rate of elimination of radioactivity from tissues was similar to that found in the serum. The apparent elimination half-life of etodolac averaged 17 hr in rats, 10 hr in dogs, and 7 hr in man. Etodolac was extensively bound to serum proteins. Liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 levels were unaltered in rats given etodolac daily for 1 week. The primary route of excretion in rats and dogs was via the bile into the feces. Preliminary biotransformation studies in dogs showed the presence of the glucuronide conjugate of etodolac in bile, but not in the urine. Glucuronide conjugates were not seen in the rat. Four hydroxylated metabolites in rat bile were tentatively identified. It was concluded that, in rats and dogs, etodolac is well absorbed, is subject to extensive enterohepatic circulation, undergoes partial biotransformation, and is excreted primarily into the feces.U