The effect of sodium N-benzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (NBG-DTC) on the distribution and excretion of cadmium in rats exposed to cadmium and the chemical form and intestinal reabsorption of cadmium compound excreted in the bile were studied. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with 109CdCl2 (1 mg Cd and 10 microCi 109Cd/kg) and 24 h later, they were injected with NBG-DTC (400 or 1200 mumol/kg). The biliary excretion of cadmium was remarkably increased by intraperitoneally injection of NBG-DTC, while there was only a small increase in urinary excretion of cadmium. Such an enhancement effect of NBG-DTC on the biliary excretion of cadmium was much larger at the high dose (1200 mumol/kg) of NBG-DTC. The treatment with NBG-DTC significantly decreased the cadmium content in the liver at the dose of 1200 mumol/kg and did not result in the undesirable redistribution of cadmium to the tissues, such as brain, testes, heart and lung. In addition, it was found that the cadmium compound excreted in the bile was mainly characterized as cadmium-NBG-DTC and which was not reabsorbed from the intestinal tracts.