Characterization of the urinary metabolites of 5-amino-1-naphthol in the rat

The metabolic fate of [14C]5-amino-1-naphthol (5A1N) was investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats. [14C]5A1N was administered by gastric intubation to male rats at doses 1, 37 and 135 mg/kg body weight. In a separate experiment the rats were also dosed with 150 mg/kg of unlabeled 5A1N daily for 4 consecutive days. Between 74% and 85% of the administered dose was excreted in the urine. Over 98% of the urinary radioactivity was characterized as unchanged 5A1N, 5-acetamido-1-naphthol (5AA1N) and glucuronic and sulfuric acid conjugates of both 5A1N and 5AA1N. Unchanged 5A1N and 5AA1N accounted for less than 3% of the dose. The amount of 5A1N converted to 5AA1N and its conjugates varied inversely with the dose. Two minor metabolites were not identified. Rats dosed repeatedly with 150 mg/kg of 5A1N showed no significant change in metabolite excretion patterns compared to rats dosed singly. These findings indicate that in the rodent model the metabolism of 5A1N was dose dependent, and occurred predominantly by phase II reactions involving N-acetylation and conjugation with glucuronic and sulfuric acids. N-Acetylation predominated at lower doses and O-sulfate conjugation at higher doses. There was no evidence for the formation of N-hydroxylated metabolites over the dose range studied.