ZON metabolism in humans is poorly understood
Animal data suggest that ZON biotransformation
occurs in the liver and intestinal tissue and results in the formation
of five metabolites: a-zearalenol (a-ZOL), b-zearalenol (b-ZOL),
a-zearalanol (zeranol, a-ZAL), b-zearalanol (teranol, b-ZAL) and
zearalanone (ZAN) (Fig. 1).
These metabolites are subsequently
conjugated with sulfonic or glucuronic acid and excreted in the urine (Zinedine et al., 2007).
Because of its anabolic effect, a-ZAL is
produced commercially and used as an animal growth promoter.
In
this regard, it has been widely used to fatten cattle in the U.S since
1969.
However, a-ZAL has been banned in many countries, including
Tunisia where it was banned in 1980