Excretion of Methyl Mercury in Rat Bile: The Effect of Diethylmaleate, Cyclohexene Oxide and Acrylamide

Abstract

Diethylmaleate, cyclohexene oxide and acrylamide, administered i.p. to rats, significantly inhibited biliary excretion of methyl mercury. Simultaneously the sulfhydryl and sulfide content of the bile decreases. These results probably reflect the conjugation of acrylamide, diethylmaleate and cyclohexene oxide to glutathione in the liver, thereby blocking the biliary excretion of methyl mercury. A high concentration of liver glutathione seems to be a prerequisite for the normal translocation of methyl mercury from liver to bile. Methyl mercury is probably transported from liver to bile as a glutathione complex.