Abstract
Mechanism of absorption, tissue distribution and metabolism of O, S-dicarbethoxythiamine (DCET) in rats were investigated by using ^<35>S-labelled DCET. DCET was quickly absorbed from intestine, the absorption rate reached to approximately 83% within 3 minutes when 233 μg of DCET was administered into the ligated sac of intestine in situ. O-carbethoxy group of DCET was readily metabolized in the intestine and absorbed in the form of S-carbethoxythiamine (CET), then reached the tissues where it is metabolized to thiamine. Presence of CET, along with thiamine diphosphate, in tissues such as liver, kidney and skin of rats administered DCET orally, intraperitoneally or intravenously was demonstrated by zone electrophoresis. At 2 hours after intraperitoneal injection of DCET, about 9% of total radioactivity was found in liver, 12% in muscles and 0.1 to 1% in skin, kidney, brain and heart. The radioactivity in muscles remained for a longer time than that in other tissues.
