The effect of oral administration of the non-absorbable anion-exchange resins cholestyramine and colestipol on the systemic clearance and other pharmacokinetic parameters of intravenously administered ibuprofen (25 mg kg-1) was studied in rabbits. Single doses of colestipol hydrochloride (0.4 g kg-1) or cholestyramine (0.17 g kg-1) were given 30 min before ibuprofen administration. In cholestyramine-treated rabbits a significant reduction in ibuprofen plasma concentration was observed compared with both control (water only) and colestipol-treated rabbits. Cholestyramine treatment resulted in a significant decrease in the terminal elimination half-life and the mean residence time. Furthermore, a 31% increase in the systemic clearance and 23% decrease in the area under the plasma concentration-time curve were also observed in cholestyramine-treated rabbits. Colestipol treatment did not change these parameters. The volume of distribution parameters (Vdss and Vd(area)) did not change following either treatment. The changes in the pharmacokinetic parameters are compatible with an acceleration of ibuprofen elimination induced by oral administration of cholestyramine and not by colestipol. This effect is thought to be due to augmentation of net biliary excretion through enteric binding.