Effects of tetraethyl lead on the activities of drug metabolizing enzymes in different tissues of the rat.

The present study describes the effects of tetraethyl lead on various drug metabolizing enzymes in different tissues of the rat. Tetraethyl lead was administered intraperitoneally to rats (250 mumol/kg) on two consecutive days. The animals were killed on day 3. Tetraethyl lead-treatment decreased the concentration of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (to 45 per cent of the control), the hepatic activity of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (to 41 per cent of the control) and ethoxycoumarin deethylase (to 45 per cent of the control). Epoxide hydratase activity was enhanced in the liver (1.3-fold), kidney (3.3-fold), and small intestinal mucosa (4.7-fold). The activity of glutathione S-transferase decreased in the liver (to 69 per cent of the control) but increased in the kidney (1.5-fold) and small intestinal mucosa (1.7-fold). The glucuronidation of o-aminophenol was enhanced (2.2-fold) in the kidney of tetraethyl lead treated rats. It is concluded that exposure to tetraethyl lead brings about widespread changes in the ability of mammals to detoxify foreign compounds.