Mercapturic acids are condensation products formed from the coupling of cysteine with aromatic compounds.[1] They are formed as conjugates in the liver and are excreted in the urine.[1]

Glutathione adducts lose glutamate and glycine portions, and are acetylated to form mercapturic acids, which are excreted.

Levels of mercapturic acids in urine may be used as an indicator of exposure to, e.g., ethylene dibromide,[2] acrylamide, and terbuthylazine.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com Retrieved on June 25, 2009
  2. ↑ Kim DH, Guengerich FP (November 1989). "Excretion of the mercapturic acid S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]-N-acetylcysteine in urine following administration of ethylene dibromide to rats". Cancer Res. 49 (21): 5843–7. PMID 2790795.
  3. ↑ Mercadante R, Polledri E, Fustinoni S (July 2012). "Determination of terbuthylazine and desethylterbuthylazine in human urine and hair samples by eletrospray ionization-liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry". Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. 404 (3): 875–86. doi:10.1007/s00216-012-6184-3. PMID 22752446. S2CID 2087135.
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