Possible genetic influence on conjugate formation in salicylic acid metabolism.

Subjects (7 males and 7 females) were dosed with salicylic acid (1 g) and hourly urinary samples were analyzed for its metabolites. The results obtained showed that the female subjects had higher capacity for salicylurate formation than the male (P less than or equal to 0.025). The urinary hourly excretion ratio of salicylurate and salicylglucuronic acid was about or greater than 1 while in the male this ratio is less than 0.50. A comparison of this ratio between female and male showed a highly significant difference (P less than or equal to 0.001). The high capacity of glucuronic acid pathway in male and the alternate pathway in female suggest a possible genetic influence in salicylic acid metabolism.