Figure 1.

Structures of α-thujone (1S, 4R, 5R-thujone) and its metabolites in the mouse liver microsomal P450 system, the brain of treated mice, and the urine of treated rabbits. The hydroxythujones and dehydro-α-thujone are observed in the mouse liver microsomal P450 system and in brain whereas thujol and neothujol are identified in the rabbit liver cytosolic ketone reductase system and in urine as conjugates. The major metabolite in mouse brain and the P450 system is 7-hydroxy-α-thujone. β-Thujone is the 1S, 4S, 5R diastereomer (structure not shown).