Reduction of Biliverdin-C 14 to Bilirubin-C 14 in vivo ∗

Summary

Radiochemically pure biliverdin-C¹⁴ was administered intravenously to rats prepared with an external biliary fistula. A major fraction of the pigment was rapidly reduced to bilirubin and was recovered from the bile as conjugated bilirubin-C¹⁴. The results are consistent with the view that bili-verdin may be an intermediate in the degradation of hemoglobin to bilirubin.