Isopropanol enhancement of carbon tetrachloride metabolism in vivo.

We examined the effects of isopropanol (ISOP) pretreatment on the metabolism of 14CCl4 to 14CO2 and CHCl3 exhaled in the breath, to 14C metabolite excreted in 24 hr urine and feces from 0 to 24 hr, and to 14C metabolite bound to liver at 24 hr. Fasted male rats were given 0.1 or 2.0 mmoles 14CCl4/kg. ISOP pretreatment, which markedly enhanced the hepatotoxicity of CCl4, selectively enhanced the rate and total extent of 14CO2 and CHCl3 metabolite exhalation. The pathways of CCl4 metabolism leading to CO2 and CHCl3 metabolite formation may be more relevant to the hepatotoxicity of CCl4 than the pathways leading to urinary, fecal or covalently bound metabolites.