The Absorption and Excretion of Orally Administered Nicarbazin by Chickens

CUCKLER, Malanga, Basso and O’Neill (1955) and Cuckler, Malanga and Ott (1955) have described the chemical properties and anticoccidial activity of nicarbazin, an equimolar complex of 4,4′-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) and 2-hydroxy-4,6-dimethylpyrimidine (HDP). During laboratory tests and field trials we have had the opportunity to examine blood and tissues from treated chickens, with the objective of obtaining information on the absorption and excretion of this drug. It was found that HDP possesses the unique property of facilitating the absorption of DNC from the gut, but only when administered in combination with DNC as the moiety, nicarbazin. Since nicarbazin is a complex derived from two compounds, it was necessary to develop analytical methods for both DNC and HDP. The colorimetric determination of DNC was based upon the production of a yellow color in alcoholic sodium hydroxide.1 Aliquots of a solution of DNC in ethyl acetate were dried in a stream of air… .