Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of p-bromophenylacetylurea in the female rat

Abstract

1. This study has investigated absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of p-bromophenylacetylurea (BPAU) in the F344 female rat. BPAU and its metabolites were determined by HPLC. 2. Following a single p.o. dose of 150 mg/kg BPAU, the absorbed fraction of dosed BPAU was 65.9% and its half-life in the blood was 9.4 h. The relative distribution of BPAU (tissue/serum ratio) at 6 h (peak time point) after a single i.p. dose of 150 mg/kg BPAU was spinal cord (4.6 +/- 0.2) > liver (3.7 +/- 0.1) > brain (2.9 +/- 0.1) (mean +/- SD, n = 5), and they were significantly different from each other (p<0.05). BPAU in spinal cord reached the highest level. 3. Absorbed BPAU was metabolized in vivo into three major metabolites. N'-hydroxy- p-bromophenylacetylurea (M1) was a dominant metabolite in tissues, whereas 4-(4-bromophenyl)-3-oxapyrrolidine-2,5-dione (M2) reached a high concentration in blood. N'-methyl-p-bromophenylacetylurea (M3) was mainly found in the urine. All three metabolites were excreted via the urine and together accounted for 87% of absorbed BPAU. 4. This study provides a basic understanding of BPAU absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination in rat.