1. The absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of benoxaprofen, a novel anti-inflammatory compound, has been studied in the dog, mouse, rat, rabbit, rhesus monkey and man. 2. Benoxaprofen was well absorbed after oral administration of doses of 1 to 10 mg/kg in all six species. Only unchanged drug was detected in plasma. It was extensively bound to plasma proteins, the highest binding occurring in man (99.8%) and rhesus monkey (99.6%). 3. Species differences were observed in the plasma elimination half-life, the longest being in man (33 h). The rat and mouse also had high values (28 and 24 h respectively) whereas in the other species, values were less than 13 h. 4. After an oral dose of [14C]benoxaprofen (20 mg/kg) to female rats, tissue concn. was highest in liver, kidney, lungs, adrenals and ovaries. Tissue distribution in the pregnant rat was identical to the normal female. The compound was found in the foetus but at a concn. lower than in all maternal organs. 5. There was a marked species difference in the route of excretion. In man, rhesus monkey and rabbit, excretion in the urine was a major route, whilst biliary--faecal excretion was the only effective route in the rat and dog. 6. No major metabolic transformation of benoxaprofen was observed. Man and dog excreted the compound predominantly as the ester glucuronide whereas the rat, mouse, rabbit and rhesus monkey excreted a large proportion of the dose unchanged.

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The metabolism of some anti-inflammatory acetamidothiazoles was studied in the rat. The main metabolites were the corresponding acetylthiohydantoic acids, produced by fission of the thiazole ring. Minor metabolites arising from oxidation of the methyl or phenyl substituents were also identified. The structures of metabolites were established spectroscopically (u.v., i.r., n.m.r. and mass spectroscopy) and by identification with authentic specimens. The excretion of the original compounds and of metabolites, labelled with (14)C is also reported.

1 Benoxaprofen is a new acidic anti‐inflammatory compound which was well absorbed after oral administration to man. 2 Single doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg produced mean peak concentrations in the plasma of 13.0, 33.5 and 45.3 microgram respectively, and the plasma half‐life of the compound was between 30 and 35 hours. 3 Multiple dosing with 25 and 50 mg every 24 h achieved an equilibrium conentration in the plasma after 6‐8 days, while dosing with 100 mg every 12 h enabled equilibrium to be reached in 3‐6 days. Plasma concentrations between 35 and 45 microgram/ml were achieved by giving 100 mg doses every 12 hours. 4 Absorption of benoxaprofen was delayed when the drug was given with food, but the total amount absorbed remained the same. 5 The effect of milling the material to small particle size (19 micron) was to increase the rate of absorption compared to that of unmilled material (58 micron). 6 Benoxaprofen was well tolerated by healthy male subject in the doses given.

2-Acetamido-4-chloromethylthiazole is metabolized in the rat to (2-acetamido-4-thiazolylmethyl)mercapturic acid and 2-acetamidothiazole-4-carboxylic acid. 2-Acetamido-4-methylthiomethylthiazole and the corresponding sulphoxide and sulphone are also produced as minor metabolites. The identification of the metabolites is described and their formation investigated. Quantitative results on the excretion of the metabolites labelled with (14)C are reported.