Ruminal metabolism and methemoglobin-forming effect of dinobuton in sheep.

Many aromatic nitro compounds are reduced to the corresponding amines in the rumen by the activity of the rumen flora, and this may influence the effect of such compounds when given orally to ruminants. The dinitrophenol herbicide DNBP (2-(1-methyl-n-propyl)-4,6-dinitrophenol, dinoseb) is a good example of a compound with this property, as DNBP has a methemoglobin-forming effect in ruminants (Frøslie & Karlog 1970). These authors connected this phenomenon with the ruminai metabolism of DNBP, because it is reduced to 6-ANBP (2-(1-methyl-n-propyl)-4-nitro-6-aminophenol), and 6-ANBP successively is reduced to DABP (2-(1-methyl-n-propyl)-4,6-diaminophenol) in the rumen.