Metabolism of N1-acetylspermidine and N8-acetylspermidine in rats.

Metabolism of N1-acetylspermidine and N8-acetylspermidine in rat liver and kidney was studied in vivo. N1-Acetylspermidine was metabolized primarily to putrescine while N8-acetylspermidine underwent deacetylation to yield spermidine. The rate of metabolism of these two compounds was much greater than that of spermidine. The rate of metabolism of N8-acetylspermidine exceeded that of N1-acetylspermidine in both liver and kidney. These rapid rates of metabolism could at least in part account for the low levels of these two compounds found in tissues. The differences in routes of metabolism of N1-acetylspermidine and N8-acetylspermidine may indicate differences in cellular functions of the two compounds.