Studies in detoxication. 48. Urinary metabolites of 4:6-dinitro-o-cresol in the rabbit

Abstract

Alter feeding rabbits doses of 20-30 mg./kg. of 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol (DNOC) less than 20% of the dose could be accounted for as metabolites in the urine 2 days after dosing, by paper chromatography and absorption spectroscopy. Some 6-7% was excreted as DNOC (about 5-6% free and 1% O-conjugated) and about 12% as 6-acetamido-4-nitro-o-cresol (about 1.5% free and 10-11% O-conjugated). Traces of derivs. of 4-amino-6-nitro-o-cresol and 3-amino-5-nitro-salicylic acid were also excreted. The conversion of DNOC into the 6-acetamido-4-nitrocresol represented detoxication, since the latter is at least 20 times less toxic than DNOC. 6-Amino-4 nitro-o-cresol and its N-acetyl derivative were also fed. The former was excreted partly unchanged and partly acetylated. The acetyl derivative formed a glucuronide which was isolated from the urine.