Abstract:Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) and disulfiram decrease the biliary excretion of methyl mercuric compounds. The biliary mercury excretion returns to normal after a time period which is dependent on the dose of the inhibiting compound. For some doses of DDC the excretion of mercury increases above control values following the period of inhibition. DDC treatment increases brain, muscle and fur content of mercury. There is an increased retention of mercury in the liver, but decreased amounts of mercury in the kidney. Mercury in red cells is not affected. Faecal excretion of mercury decreases as expected because of decreased biliary excretion. The urinary excretion of mercury also decreases, but the mechanism is not clear. Changes in the excretion and organ distribution pattern indicate similar mechanisms for DDC treatment as for bile duct ligation, but DDC probably also changes the organ distribution and excretion by complex formation with some methyl mercuric compound.