Structural effects in the dithiocarbamate-enhanced biliary excretion of cadmium.

The dithiocarbamate enhancement of the biliary excretion of cadmium in rats loaded with cadmium (by either the oral or sc route) was found to be strongly dependent on the structure of the groups attached to the nitrogen atom of the dithiocarbamate moiety. Those dithiocarbamates containing hydroxyl-bearing attached groups were found to be capable of causing the greatest enhancement of the cadmium content of the bile. For the compounds of this type that were examined, this enhancement of biliary cadmium content varied from 30-fold to over 2000-fold. No enhancement of the biliary excretion of cadmium was found subsequent to the administration of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, though this compound is known to cause a significant increase in the fecal excretion of cadmium.