The Metabolism of Glyceryl Thioethers ∗

Abstract

Summary

The metabolism of 1^-14C-labeled glyceryl thioethers (C_16:O and C_18:O) was investigated in feeding experiments with rats. These studies revealed that the glyceryl S-ethers are not metabolized in the same way as are the glyceryl O-ethers. A very high percentage (45–87%) of the ¹⁴C from the S-ethers administered was found in the urine during the first day after administration, and essentially none of the label appeared as ¹⁴CO₂. The urinary ¹⁴C was isolated as a single peak by thin-layer chromatography and as five peaks by anion-exchange chromatography; none of the urinary^-14C was extractable with diethyl ether or butanol. Only small quantities of ¹⁴C from the absorbed glyceryl S-ethers were found in tissues. Most of the unabsorbed S-ether in the feces and intestinal contents was unchanged. These results obtained in vivo indicate that the S-ethers of glycerol cannot serve as model compounds for examining the biochemical mechanism of ether cleavage.