Atropine metabolism in man

Administration of two ¼C‐tropine‐labeled atropines to man shows the urinary excretion of 77 to 93 per cent of the injected dose in 24 hours. Only the N‐methyl‐¼C but not the 2,4‐14C‐atropine shows oxidation to HCO, with arespiratory elimination of 3 per cent in 3 hours. Atropine disappears very rapidly from the blood. Urinary excretion 01)er the first 24 hours occurs at two rates; a fast rate occurring first with a t½. of about 2 hours and a slow rate with a t½ of ab out 13 to 38 hours. The early urine samples show the major fraction of the HC existing as a chromatographic component which is a α‐glucuronide., The urines collected at later periods (4 to 8 hours) contain little, if any, of this component. The chromatographically distinguishable ¼C‐containing urinary components do not differ between the two HC‐atropines.