title: Paracetamol elimination in Chinese and Indians in Singapore.
abstract: The 24 h urinary excretion of paracetamol and its conjugates after oral administration of about 15 mg/kg was studied in 24 Chinese and 24 Indian healthy young adult male volunteers living in Singapore. The Indians excreted a significantly lower fraction of sulphate conjugate (28.9% compared to 35.9% in the Chinese), and a correspondingly higher fraction as glucuronide conjugate (62.2% compared to 54.5% in the Chinese). There was no difference between the ethnic groups in terms of the urinary recovery of unchanged paracetamol (Indians 3.4%, Chinese 3.6%), glutathione-derived cysteine (Indians 2.3% and Chinese 2.2%) and mercapturic acid (Indians 3.6%, Chinese 3.8%) conjugates. The total fraction of administered paracetamol recovered in the urine was 84.7% and 85.7% in the Indian and the Chinese groups, respectively. Although the total glutathione derived conjugates recovered in the two ethnic groups were similar (Indians 5.9%, Chinese 6%), the values were lower than those reported previously for Caucasians in Scotland (9.3%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Ti
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Prescott
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005965:Glucuronates / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D012846:Singapore
chemical_list: D005965:Glucuronates; D000082:Acetaminophen