(14C)Ethylenethiourea: distribution, excretion, and metabolism in pregnant rats

Following administration of single oral doses of [14C]ethylenethiourea (ETU) to pregnant rats maternal blood maintained peak radioactivity for 2 h, and the radioactivity was dispersed uniformly between the red blood cells and plasma. The level of radioactivity was distributed equally among several maternal tissues but was present in lower amounts in embryos. Twenty-four hours after treatment all tissues examined, except blood, were relatively clear of radioactivity and 72.8% of the total radioactivity given had been excreted in the urine. Elution patterns of metabolites from Sephadex separation suggested that ethylenethiourea was degraded very little. The teratological mechanism is discussed.