Metabolism of dicarboxylic acids in vivo and in the perfused kidney of the rat.

After intraperitoneal injection of (1-14C)-labelled suberic or dodecanedioic acid, the acids themselves and their metabolites were excreted in urine and as 14CO2. There was a striking difference in the capacity to oxidize the two dicarboxylic acids. Most of the suberic acid was excreted unchanged in the urine, and less was recovered as 14CO2. A trace was excreted as adipic acid. Dodecanedioic acid was more efficiently oxidized; 2-3-times more was expired as 14CO2, and the urine contained only a trace of the unchanged acid. Adipic acid was the main metabolite. Kidney perfusion experiments confirmed these results by showing that unmetabolized suberic acid was actively excreted by the kidneys. Dodecanedioic acid was oxidized and shorter dicarboxylic acids were excreted. The perfused hindquarter did not metabolize the dicarboxylic acids. Our results show that dodecanedioic acid can be completely oxidized both in the whole animal and in the kidneys. Dicarboxylic acids in the urine may to a significant extent be formed in the kidneys themselves.