Abstract
Orally administered 3, 4-dimethylphenyl N-methylcarbamate labelled with carbon-14 at 4-CH3 was easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of male Wistar rats and distributed into the tissues. Elimination of the radioactivity was rapid and essentially complete; namely during 48hr approximately 92% and 5% of the total radioactivity were excreted respectively into urine and feces. The content of the intact carbamate compound in the urine was less than 0.5%. Major degradation products were identified as 3-methyl-4-car-boxyphenyl N-methylcarbamate, its N-hydroxymethyl analog and its component phenol. Much less amount of direct hydrolysis product of the original carbamate, 3, 4-dimethyl phenol and its conjugated forms was demonstrated. 3, 4-Dimethylphenyl N-methylcarbamate is presumed to undergo biodegradation through oxidative pathways.
