At a perfusate concn. of 3.5-4.0 mM, 59 plus or minus 9 nmol of paracetamol h per g wet wt. were oxidized by isolated rat kidney. 2. Approx. half the paracetamol undergoing oxidation was converted to a mercapturic acid metabolite and the remainder was covalently bound to kidney protein. 3. Addition of GSH to the perfusate decreased the level of covalent binding. Depletion of cellular GSH, by prior administration of diethyl maleate, significantly decreased formation of the mercapturic acid metabolite. 4. The metabolic pathways of glucoronylation, sulphation and mercapturic acid formation were induced either by 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatment or by prolonged feeding of aspirin or paracetamol; covalent binding of paracetamol to kidney protein was not increased.
