R. R. Scheline
Sep 1, 1962
Citations
0
Influential Citations
6
Citations
Journal
Nature
Abstract
DURING an investigation of the fate of some foreign organic compounds in fish, the metabolism of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (homoprotocatechuic acid) was investigated with the purpose of obtaining some information on methylation reactions in these animals. DeEds et al.1 have noted that this compound is methylated at the 3-hydroxyl group in rats and rabbits. A later report by Scheline et al.2 showed that homoprotocatechuic acid labelled with carbon-14 fed to rabbits at a dose-level of 100 mgm./kgm. resulted in about 85 per cent of the radioactivity being excreted in the urine within 44 hr. While the main excretory product was the original acid, nearly six per cent of the dose was found as 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-acetic acid (homovanillic acid).