Urinary excretion of acetylcyanamide in rat and human after oral and dermal application of hydrogen cyanamide (H2NCN)

Abstract

The main urinary metabolite of hydrogen cyanamide (syn.: cyanamide) in rat and man is acetylcyanamide (syn.: N-acetylcyanamide). An analytical method was developed to determine acetylcyanamide in the urine with a limit of quantification of less than 10 micrograms/l (mean recovery 96.1% using spikes of 20 micrograms/l; relative standard deviation less than 4%). This methodology is based upon ion chromatography using column-switch techniques and UV detection. It could be demonstrated that in rats an average of 45.6% of oral applied cyanamide (10 mg/kg) was excreted in the urine as acetylcyanamide. In male human volunteers a mean of 40% of oral administered cyanamide (mean dose 0.25 mg/kg body weight) was excreted via the urine as acetylcyanamide. The same group of volunteers participated in a skin absorption study with dermal application of the above cyanamide dose onto a skin surface area of 32 cm2. Within an application period of 6 h an average cyanamide quantity of 2.3 mg was available for skin absorption. A mean portion of 7.7% of this quantity was found as acetylcyanamide in the urine of the participants. Findings from literature state that cyanamide is metabolized in vitro to cyanide. According to examinations performed in vivo, however, such a metabolic pathway seems to be irrelevant for man. In comparison with the control values there was no significant increase of both the cyanide concentrations in the blood and the thiocyanate concentrations in the urine of the above volunteers after the described oral cyanamide administration.

Nephrotoxic effect of Hydrogen Cyanamide (Dormex) and possible protective role of N-acetyl cysteine in male albino rats

“…Absorption occurs rapidly through all routes (Foti et al, 2008). There are no reports about conversion of hydrogen cyanamide to cyanide in vivo (Mertschenk et al 1991). The bioavailability of dormex ranges from (45-80%) depending mainly on the dose (Schep et al, 2009).…”

Unveiling the Deadly Effects of Hydrogen Cyanamide Poisoning: A Case Report

“…Catalase functions to remove excess hydrogen peroxide, and inhibition of this process may lead to oxidative stress and uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, ultimately impeding ATP synthesis [6][7][8] . Hydrogen cyanamide undergoes biotransformation primarily via N-acetylation in vivo, with the majority excreted in urine as N-acetylation [9] . There are no signs indicating that hydrogen cyanamide is converted to cyanide in the human body [10] .…”

DORMEX® -hydrogen cyanamide poisoning

“…[7] There was no indication of hydrogen cyanamide being converted to cyanide in vivo. [8] The principal metabolite excreted in the urine was N -acetylcyanamide.…”