Studies in detoxication. 80. The metabolism of glycols

Abstract

The fate of oral doses of 22 glycols has been investigated in the rabbit. Glycols of the general formula, CH2-OH-(CH2)nCH2 OH, where n = 0-6, do not form appreciable amounts of conjugated glucuronic acid. Ethane-1,2-diol is mainly oxidized to CO2. Butane-l,4-diol, pentane-l,5-diol and hexane-1,6-diol yield small amounts of the corresponding dicarboxylic acids in the urine, but appear to be mainly destroyed in vivo. 3-Methylpentane-l,5-diol yields large amounts of 3-methylglutaric acid in the urine. Glycols of the general formula CH2-OH-CRR''-CH2-OH form appreciable amounts of conjugated glucuronic acid. These appear to be glucuronides of the unchanged diols, for the monoglucuronide of 2-methyl-2-n-propylpropane-1,3-diol was isolated. These glycols do not form dicarboxylic acids in vivo, but form monocarboxylic acids. 3-Hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropionic acid was isolated as a metabolite of 2,2-dimethylpropane-l,3-diol. No definite information about the other glycols studied was obtained, except that some are highly conjugated with glucuronic acid (2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-pentane-l,3-diol, butane-2,3-diol, 2,3-dimethylbutane-2,3-diol, and 2-methyl-pentane-l,4- and -2,4-diol). The monoglucuronide of butane-2,3-diol was isolated.