TY - JOUR T1 - Studies on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of 4-chlorodiphenyl ether in rats. JF - Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO - Drug Metab Dispos SP - 44 LP - 50 VL - 15 IS - 1 AU - Y C Chui AU - R F Addison AU - F C Law Y1 - 1987/01/01 UR - http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/15/1/44.abstract N2 - The metabolic disposition of 14C-labeled 4-chlorodiphenyl ether ([14C]4-CDE) was examined in rats following iv administration of a single dose (850 nmol/kg). [14C]4-CDE decayed rapidly from the blood since no unchanged [14C]4-CDE was detected in the blood beyond 2 hr after [14C]4-CDE administration. The dispositional kinetics of [14C]4-CDE in rats were best described by a two-compartment open pharmacokinetic model. Total radioactivity was excreted slowly from rats; about 41% and 33% of the administered dose were excreted into the urine and feces, respectively, within 1 week after chemical administration. About 5% of the total radioactivity administered to rats was excreted into the bile in 1 hr. The bulk of the radioactivity in the excreta was due to the presence of [14C]4-CDE metabolites. 14C-labeled 4'-hydroxy-4-CDE was the major metabolite and accounted for at least 90% of the radioactivity in the urine. The metabolic conversion of [14C]4-CDE to 14C-labeled 4'-hydroxy-4-CDE was corroborated by in vitro studies with liver microsomes of rats. In addition, [14C]4-CDE was converted by liver microsomes to reactive metabolites which bound irreversibly to microsomal protein. An arene oxide is suggested as the intermediate metabolite in the biotransformation of [14C]4-CDE by rats. ER -