Metabolism of lidocaine in rabbit liver 9000 g supernatant fraction was examined. A capillary g.l.c. assay was developed to separate seven known metabolites of lidocaine, and all seven metabolites were identified in extracts of incubations of lidocaine with rabbit-liver fractions. These metabolites were monoethylglycinexylidide(I), glycinexylidide(II), 3-hydroxymonoethylglycinexylidide(III), 3-hydroxylidocaine(IV), 4-hydroxylidocaine(V), xylidine(VI) and 4-hydroxyxylidine(VII). A new metabolite, 2-amino-3-methylbenzoic acid(VIII), was identified in extracts of incubations of lidocaine with rabbit-liver fractions, by comparison of the mass-spectral fragmentation patterns and g.l.c. retention time with those of the authentic compound. The formation of VIII is dependent on protein, NADPH, time, O2, and the presence of soluble enzymes. Quantitative analysis of metabolites I-VIII after a two hour incubation accounts for 89% of the metabolized lidocaine.