Induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the rat liver by 3'-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene.

The influence of 3-methyl-4-(dimethylamino)azobenzene(3'-Me-DAB) on the drug-metabolizing system in the liver was investigated. Feeding of 3-Me-DAB for 3 weeks at 10, 20 and 600 ppm increased the content of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 slightly (up to 27% raise) but significantly. The feeding effects were also demonstrated in S-9 activity (up to 91% raise) when the mutagenicity of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2) was assayed in Ames system using S-9 fraction from 3'-Me-DAB-treated rat livers.