Hexobarbital metabolism: a new metabolic pathway to produce 1,5-dimethylbarbituric acid and cyclohexenone-glutathione adduct via 3'-oxohexobarbital.

1. In the presence of glutathione under physiological conditions, 3'-oxohexobarbital was non-enzymically converted to 1,5-dimethylbarbituric acid and a cyclohexenone-glutathione adduct. 2. The two reaction products were characterized by mass spectrometry, 1H- and 13C-n.m.r. spectrometry, and UV spectral analyses. 3. 1,5-Dimethylbarbituric acid was excreted in urine of rat given hexobarbital, 3'-oxohexobarbital, or 1',2'-epoxyhexobarbital, and accounted for 13.4, 14.5 and 4.7% of dose, respectively. 4. The cyclohexenone-glutathione adduct, a novel metabolite of hexobarbital, was excreted in the bile of rat given hexobarbital. 5. The route of 1,5-dimethylbarbituric acid formation via 3'-oxohexobarbital in the metabolism of hexobarbital was discussed in comparison with the epoxide-diol pathway.