Biosynthesis of mercapturic acids from allyl alcohol, allyl esters and acrolein

Isolation and identification of mercapturic acids of cinnamic aldehyde and cinnamyl alcohol from urine of female rats

Rats dosed with cinnamic aldehyde (I) excreted two mercapturic acids in the urine. The major one was identified as N-acetyl-S-(1-phenyl-3-hydroxypropyl)cysteine (V). The minor one was identified as N-acetyl-S-(1-phenyl-2-carboxy ethyl)cysteine (VI). The ratio appeared to be V : VI = 4 : 1. The hydroxy mercapturic acid (V) was also isolated from urine of rats dosed with cinnamyl alcohol (II). The total mercapturic acid excretion as percentage of the dose was 14.8 +/- 1.9% for cinnamic aldehyde (250 mg/kg) (n = 4) and 8.8 +/- 1.7% for cinnamyl alcohol (n = 4) (125 mg/kg). Inhibition of the alcohol dehydrogenase by pyrazole (206 mg/kg) diminished the thioether excretion of cinnamyl alcohol to 3.3 +/- 1.4% of the dose (n = 8). Cinnamic aldehyde has been proposed to be an intermediate in the mercapturic acid formation of cinnamyl alcohol.

Fate of 14C-allylalcohol herbicide in soils and crop residues

Residue disappearance and leaching of 14C-allylalcohol from different soils were studied in laboratory experiments. Additionally, the uptake of residues by lettuce and carrots was investigated in the greenhouse. In laboratory experiments, residue disappearance and leaching from soils was correlated negatively to the organic matter content. In greenhouse experiments with a sandy loam soil at an application rate normally used in practice, an average of 12.5% of the applied radioactivity was recovered after an eight day interval between application and sowing. Furthermore, an average of 8% (sum in soil and plants) of the applied radioactivity was recovered after lettuce or carrot growing. Uptake of residues was higher by carrots than by lettuce, and higher by lettuce roots than by lettuce tops. No bioaccumulation was observed. The residues in soils and plants were, to a high percent-age, unextractable and, to a smaller extent, fully water-soluble products. Unchanged allylalcohol could not be detected by the analytical methods used.

Short-term toxicity of allyl alcohol in rats

Groups of 15 male and 15 female rats were give 0 (control), 50, 100, 200 or 800 ppm allyl alcohol in the drinking water for 15 weeks. There were no effects attributable to allyl alcohol in the results of the haematological examinations or analyses of serum. There was a dose-related reduction in the fluid intake at all treatment levels in both sexes, while growth and food consumption were reduced in both sexes given 800 ppm and in males give 200 ppm. Males given 100 ppm or above and females given 200 or 800 ppm produced less urine than the controls in a period without water or following a water load. The only changes in organ weight that could be attributed to treatment were increased values for the relative weights of liver, spleen and kidney. All 3 organs were affected in both sexes given 800 ppm and the kidneys were also affected in both sexes given 200 ppm and in females given 100 ppm. No effects attributable to allyl alcohol treatment were seen at autopsy or in the histopathological examination. The no-untoward-effect level established in this study was 50 ppm of the drinking water, a level equivalent to an intake in rats of between 4.8 and 6.2 mg allyl alcohol/kg/day.

The metabolism of 3-chloro,- 3-bromo- and 3-iodoprpan-1,2-diol in rats and mice

1. The metabolism of the 3-halopropan-1,2-diols (alpha-halohydrins) has been investigated in rats and mice. Apart from 3-chloropropan-1,2-diol (I), of which some 10% is excreted unchanged by both species, the compounds are completely degraded following intraperitoneal administration. 2. The alpha-halohydrins are detoxicated by conjugation with glutathione and produce two urinary metabolites, isolated and identified as S-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cysteine (VII) and the corresponding mercapturic acid N-acetyl-S-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cysteine (VIII). 3. When incubated with rat liver supernatant, the compounds do not conjugate with glutathione and their general chemical reactivity suggests that they react via a common intermediate proposed to be glycidol (2,3-epoxypropanol, IV). As the epoxide produces the same urinary metabolites as the alpha-halo-hydrins, and conjugates with glutathione either with or without liver supernatant to form the primary metabolite S-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)glutathione (VI), glycidol is also proposed to be the reactive intermediate in vivo. 4. The role of epoxides in intermediary metabolism is discussed.