USE OF THE NIH SHIFT TO DETERMINE THE RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF COMPETING PATHWAYS OF ANILINE METABOLISM IN THE RAT

  • 1 November 1986
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (6) , 689-691
Abstract
The retention of tritium in urinary p-aminophenol and p-hydroxyacetanilide was determined following the administration of p-3H-aniline or p-3H-acetanilide to rats. When p-3H-aniline (1.5 mmol/kg, ip) was given to rats, the retention of tritium in urinary p-aminophenol and p-hydroxyacetanilide was 15% and 38%, respectively. Similar results were obtained following the administration of p-3H-acetanilide (1.5 mmol/kg). However, when p-3H-acetanilide was given to rats which had been pretreated with bis-(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate to block the deacetylation capacity, urinary 3H-p-hydroxyacetanilide was recovered with 53% retention of tritium. The data indicate that, at the doses studied: 1) the primary route of aniline metabolism is via sequential acetylation and hydroxylation, and 2) deacetylation plays a significant role in the disposition of acetanilide.