Disposition of lantadene A, the pentacyclic triterpenoid hepatotoxin, orally administered to guinea pigs

Lantadene A (LA) administered orally to guinea pigs elicited cholestasis. L A could not be detected in liver, bile, gall bladder, blood and urine. LA a nd its biotransformation product reduced lantadene A (RLA) could be detecte d in caecum, large intestine, and faeces. Tn vitro incubation of LA with li ver homogenates under aerobic and anaerobic conditions did not elicit its b iotransformation to RLA. On the other hand, in vitro incubation of LA with guinea pig caecal and large intestinal contents under anaerobic conditions elicited conversion of LA to RLA. This is the first report of the biotransf ormation of LA in the animal system. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.