The metabolism of naphthalene and 1-naphthol by houseflies and rats

Abstract

House-flies and rats have been treated with [l-O14]naphthalene and 1-[1-C14] naphthol and the products of their metabolism examined. By paper chroma-tography, these products have been identified as: glucosiduronides of 1-naphthol, l,2-dihydro-l,2-dihydroxynaphthalene and 1,2-dihydro-1-hydroxynaphthalene; 1-naphthylsulphate; mercaptureic acid conjugates of 1-naphthol and l,2-dlhydro-l,2-dihydroxynaphthalene; free 1-naphthol and 1,2-dihydro-1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene. 2-Hydroxy-1-naphthyl sulphate may also be present. All of the metabolites produced by naphthalene- and 1-naphthol-treated flies are found in the urine of rats treated with naphthalene, but only 6 are produced by rats given 1-naphthol. Metabolites not previously detected in the urine of 1-naphthol-treated rats are l,2-dihydro-2-hydroxy-l-naphthyl glucosiduronic acid and 1-naphthylmercapturic acid.