Formation of mercapturic acids in rats after the administration of aralkyl esters.

1. Benzylmercapturic acid and hippuric acid were isolated from the urine of rats that had been injected subcutaneously with benzyl acetate. 2. 1-Menaphthylmercapturic acid and 1-naphthoic acid were isolated from the urine of rats after the subcutaneous injection of each of the following compounds: 1-menaphthyl alcohol and its acetate, propionate, butyrate and benzoate esters. 3. A quantitative method for determining 1-menaphthylmercapturic acid in urine was developed and used to measure the excretion of this compound in the urine of rats in the 4-day period after the subcutaneous injection of 1-menaphthyl alcohol and its acetate, propionate, butyrate and benzoate esters. 4. Chromatographic evidence was obtained for the presence of S-(1-menaphthyl)glutathione and S-(1-menaphthyl)-l-cysteine in bile collected from rats with cannulated bile ducts after the animals had been injected subcutaneously with each of the following compounds: S-(1-menaphthyl)glutathione, 1-menaphthyl acetate, propionate and butyrate. 5. Benzylmercapturic acid and 1-menaphthylmercapturic acid were isolated from the urine of rats that had been injected with sodium benzyl sulphate and sodium 1-menaphthyl sulphate respectively.