Comparative detoxication. The detoxication of aromatic acids by invertebrates: detection of agmatine conjugates in scorpions

Abstract

Benzoic acid and p-nitrobenzoic acid were converted in the scorpion Palamnaeus into N1-benzoylagmatine and N1-p-nitrobenzoylagmatine. Some benzoyl- and p-nitrobenzoyl-arginine were formed also and these compounds were probable precursors of the agmatine derivatives, p-Nitrobenzoyl- and p-aminobenzoyl-arginine were formed in millipedes dosed with the aromatic acids. Woodlice excreted p-amino- and p-nitro-benzoic acid as their glycine conjugates and no conjugation could be found in the crab Gecarcinus and a freshwater crayfish Astacus.