Metabolism of geraniol and linalool in the rat and effects on liver and lung microsomal enzymes.

Metabolites isolated from the urine of rats after oral administration of geraniol (I) were: geranic acid (II), 3-hydroxy-citronellic acid (III), 8-hydroxy-geraniol (IV), 8-carboxy-geraniol (V) and Hildebrandt acid (VI). Metabolites isolated from urine of rats after oral administration of linalool (VII) were 8-hydroxy-linalool (VIII) and 8-carboxy-linalool (IX). After three days of feeding rats with either geraniol or linalool, liver-microsomal cytochrome P-450 was increased. Both NADH- and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activities were not significantly changed during the six days of treatment. Oral administration of these two terpenoids did not affect any of the lung-microsomal parameters measured.