The Fate of Certain Organic Acids and Amides in the Rabbit

We have already reported (Bray, Ryman & Thorpe, 1947) upon the fate ofp-hydroxybenzoic acid and its amide in the rabbit. The present paper gives the corresponding results for the oand m-isomers. The changes which these compounds might undergo are theoretically the same as those for the p-isomer, i.e. the hydroxyl group may be conjugated with either glucuronic or sulphuric acids and the carboxyl group with glucuronic acid or glycine. In the case of the amides the extent of conjugation through the carboxyl group would depend upon the degree of hydrolysis of the carbamyl group. There is also the possibility of the introduction of a second hydroxyl group, comparable to the formation of protocatechuic acid from p-hydroxybenzoic acid or amide (Bray et al. 1947).