UREA METABOLISM IN MAN*

Abstract

Urea has long been considered to be meta- bolically inert. However, recent studies with isotopic urea in several species of animals have revealed that urea is hydrolyzed in the alimentary tract even when administered parenterally (1-5). This breakdown is presumably due to the action of bacterial urease, since urea metabolism can be eliminated or reduced to negligible proportions by the administration of antibiotics.