Demethylation in the mammalian metabolism of N, N-dimethylurea

Abstract

1. 1. The metabolism of N,N-dimethylurea has been investigated in the rabbit and the rat, and evidence has been presented to show that the compound undergoes stepwise demethylation which leads to the formation and excretion of urea and methylurea. 2. 2. According to McKenzie and du Vigneaud the source of urinary urea carbon is the metabolic carbon dioxide: they found that the ratio of specific activity, urea/CO 2 , approached one, during the same interval of time, after the oral administration of l-[methyl- 14 C]methionine in rats. 3. 3. The significant increase in the ratio of specific activity, urea/respiratory CO 2 , in animals injected intraperitoneally with N,N-dimethyl[ 14 C-carbonyl]urea indicates a metabolism of dimethylurea to urea via methylurea which is accomplished in such a manner as to maintain the integrity of one or more of the nitrogen carbon bonds of dimethylurea. 4. 4. However, the data obtained do not permit the exclusion of either ammonolysis or direct demethylation as a participating factor in the demethylation of dimethylurea. © 1975.