[Higher microsomal monooxygenase activity in chloroquine-resistant strains of malarial plasmodium as a possible cause of drug stability].

Ability to hydroxylate benz(alpha)pyrene--a substrate of arylhydrocarbone hydroxylase (AHH) was distinctly increased in lysates of erythrocytes containing malarial plasmodium. Hydroxylation of benz(alpha)pyrene was inhibited by methyrapone--an inhibitor of microsomal monooxygenases. Activity of AHH was increased from 2- to 3-fold in chloroquine-resistant plasmodium strains as compared with the drug-sensitive strains. Resistance of Plasmodium berghei to chloroquine appears to involve an activation of the monooxygenases system in the parasite.