Urinary metabolites of 14C aflatoxin in some laboratory animals.

The quantity of aflatoxin M excreted in the urine of albino rats, guineapigs and monkeys in relation to the administered
radio active aflatoxin was determined. 2.5-4.4, 0.15-0.19 and 0.8-1.0 per cent of administered toxin was recovered
as aflatoxin M in the urine of albino rats, guineapigs and monkeys, respectively. Nearly 80 per cent of aflatoxin M
was excreted within 6 hours after toxin administration. Studies on the absorption of aflatoxin B and M across the
intestinal wall showed that aflatoxin B injected into the jejunum in the intact intestines of the anaesthetised rat was
absorbed within 15 minutes. Under similar experimental conditions 22 percent of injected aflatoxin M could be
recovered from the intestinal lumen. A new flourescent metabolite of aflatoxin released only by perchloric acid
hydrolysis was detected in the urine of albino rats and monkeys. Increase in the levels of the administered dose raised
the quantity of aflatoxin M in the urine but decreased the levels of unchanged B and the bound fraction. In rats
with ligated common bile duct similar alterations had no effect on the excretory pattern of the metabolite.