1,3-Butanediol

Metabolism

Butanediol is metabolized by the liver... beta-hydroxybutyric acid /a main metabolite/ is further metabolized in the tricarboxylic acid cycle to carbon dioxide, which accounts for about 90% of the dose administered. In other studies... in which rats were fed 1,3-butanediol for 3 to 7 weeks, it was found that the blood level of beta-hydroxybutyrate, was also higher than normal.
R- and S-1,3-butylene glycol are taken up by the isolated liver of fed or starved rats at the same rate. R-1,3-butylene glycol is mainly transformed to the physiological ketone bodies R-3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate. Only 29-38&% of the S-enantiomer are converted into physiological ketone bodies. The S-enantiomer is further metabolised to S-3-hydroxybutyrate (not a natural compound), lipids and carbon dioxide. Based on these results it can be concluded that the test item is metabolised via physiological pathways, suggesting that it has a low potential to accumulate.