Metabolites and some characteristics of the metabolism of 3H-digoxigenin by rat liver homogenates

3H-digoxigenin is metabolized by rat liver homogenates to 3H-3-epidigoxigenin and 3H-3-dehydrodigoxigenin. Maximum conversion occurs after approximately 80 min of incubation. The amount of each metabolite which accumulates depends on the amount of NADP+ added to the incubation mixture. No formation of more polar metabolites was observed, indicating that a microsomal hydroxylating system may not be operative in the metabolism of digoxigenin.