[The advantages of benzonal as an inducer of the liver mono-oxygenase enzyme system compared to phenobarbital].

It is stated that phenobarbital used as the most potent inductor of the monoxygenase enzymic system of the liver in different pathologies has substantial side effects. In this connection the search of active inductive agents devoid of phenobarbital deficiencies is an important issue. Zixorene, a Hungarian drug developed to solve the problem, is weak as an inductor and has deficiencies of its own. A fitting substitute for phenobarbital is benzonal which is not inferior to phenobarbital in inductive activity but lacks its drawbacks. It is used both as a hypobilirubinemic agent and a drug restoring a disordered monohygenase system of the liver in different pathologies. Benhonal is metabolized in the gastrointestinal tract and the liver generating an active metabolite of phenobarbital. It is suggested that slow formation of phenobarbital in small quantities determines its more optimal interaction with the corresponding hepatic receptors resulting in the appearance of a marked inductive action while side effects are significantly decreased.