The distribution, elimination, and metabolism of 14C-alternariol monomethyl ether

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered 14C-alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) in olive oil and housed in glass metabolism cages. Urine, feces, and expired CO2 were monitored for the presence of radioactivity. The majority of activity was excreted in the feces apparently unabsorbed. Urine excretion accounted for less than 10% of the administered dose. A substantial amount of "absorbed" activity was excreted in expired CO2. TLC autoradiography of urine extracts revealed extensive metabolism, but little metabolism was evident in feces extracts. Incubation of AME with rat liver post-mitochondrial supernatant also resulted in substantial metabolism.