The metabolic origin of the sulfur atom in the sulfhydryl group of 2-thiobenzothiazole metabolites derived from benzothiazyl sulfenamide in the rat.

After administration of benzothiazyl sulfenamide to rats, over 90% of the S atom in the sulfhydryl group was retained in 2-thiobenzothiazole metabolites. The S atom in 2-benzothiazyl mercapturic acid, a major metabolite, was mostly replaced by the endogenous S from the L-cysteine pool.