Metabolic pathways of sodium bisulfite injected intravenously in rabbits

The metabolites of sodium bisulfite in rabbits through intravenous injection were examined according to the high performance liquid chromatography method for determination of sulfur-containing substances. Most of the administered sulfite was oxidized to sulfate, and a small part was converted to thiosulfate, S-sulfoalbumin, S-sulfoglutathione and S-sulfocysteine. Furthermore, it was found that S-sulfocysteine administered intravenously to a rabbit was partially changed to inorganic sulfate and thiosulfate. These metabolites produced from sulfite in rabbits indicated the presence of the many and complicated metabolic pathways of sulfite in vivo.