Fate of dipropyl sulphone in rat

1. Dipropyl [35S]-sulphone was administered by gavage (4.24 mmol/4 ml/kg body weight) to the adult male Wistar rat following an overnight fast. 2. Urine was the major route of excretion (83%) with more radioactivity appearing during the second day (47%) than the first (28%). Only small amounts were found in the faeces (10%). Biliary excretion played an important role with substantial amounts of the dose (33%) passing through the bile duct during 0-48 h. A near total recovery was achieved suggesting that only small amounts (2%) may have been lost as volatile components. 3. Metabolism was limited, the majority (> or = 98%) of the sulphone being recovered unchanged. Oxidation of the sulphur with the formation of inorganic sulphate was the only pathway observed.