The metabolites of 14C-sulpiride in the rat.

The elimination of total radioactivity after i.p. application of carbonyl-14C-labelled sulpiride (SP) was estimated in urine and feces. An average of 30% of administered radioactivity was found in feces, 50% in urine. By preparative thin-layer chromatography of urine SP and five metabolites were isolated. On the basis of chromatographic-spectrophotometric comparisons to synthesized standards four metabolites were identified: O-desmethyl-SP, 5-oxo-pyrrolidine-SP, N-desethyl-SP and O-desmethyl-5-oxo-pyrrolidine-SP. The chemical structure of one metabolite could not be established.