Biliary excretion of foreign compounds. Benzene and its derivatives in the rat

Abstract

[long dash]The extent of the excretion in the bile of the rat of benzene and 21 of its simple derivatives was studied. Some 16 compounds of molecular weight less than 200, and including neutral molecules (benzene and toluene), aromatic acids, aromatic amines and phenols, were injected in solution intraperitoneally into biliary-cannulated rats. Metabolites in the bile were identified and estimated. The extent of biliary excretion of these compounds was low, i.e. 0-10% of the dose in 24 hr., and most appeared in the bile mainly as conjugates. The biliary excretion of 6 conjugates of molecular weight less than 300, including 3 glycine conjugates, 1 sulfate conjugate, 1 glucuronic acid conjugate and 2 acetyl derivatives was low (less than 3% of the dose). Simple benzene derivatives of molecular weight less than about 300 are poorly excreted in rat bile.