Comparative hepatotoxicity and metabolism of N-methylformamide in rats and mice.

N-methylformamide (NMF) produced dose-dependent zone 3 haemorrhagic necrosis in mice; the threshold dose was 100-200 mg/kg. In rats a dose of 1000 mg/kg caused hepatic damage in some animals and slight elevations of plasma transaminases. A species difference in susceptibility to NMF-induced hepatotoxicity is clearly indicated. NMF depleted liver non-protein sulphydryl (NPSH) in a dose-dependent manner in mice, but not in rats. Depletion of liver glutathione by buthionine sulphoximine or diethylmaleate potentiated the hepatotoxicity of NMF in mice. [14C]-methyl NMF was metabolised by mice and rats and a number of urinary metabolites including an N-acetylcysteine conjugate, methylamine and N-hydroxymethylformamide were detected. There were no qualitative differences in the metabolites between rats and mice but mice metabolised NMF much faster and more extensively than rats.