EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND EXCRETION OF 203HG-ETHYLMERCURY CHLORIDE

203Hg-ethylmercury chloride was orally given to mice and rats, and its absorption, retention, excretion and distribution were investigated.1. Absorption : The absorption was considerably fast after the oral administration as in the case of methylmercury.2. Retention in the body : The daily decrement curve of the whole-body retention represents the sum of two exponential functions in rats, but a single expornential function in mice.3. Distribution in the body : The distribution of 203Hg was determined for 3 days with mice and 7 days with rats after the oral administration. In rats, the highest radioactivity was found in the kidney followed by in blood, liver, spleen, pancreas and brain in the descending order. In mice, the highest radioactivity was also found in the kidney, however, next order was the liver, pancreas, spleen, blood and brain successively.4. Excretion : The daily excretion of 203Hg was high in feces and low in urine.5. Effects of administration of various drugs. In 3 day experiments with mice, the effective drugs on eliminating of 203Hg are DL-Penicillamine, 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine and GSH. BAL, Mercaptoacetic acid and Thioethanol were found to increase 203Hg concentration in the brain. In 7 day experiments with rats, the effective drugs in expelling 203Hg were BAL and 2-Mercaptopropionyl glycine.