Effects of piperonyl butoxide on dimethylnitrosamine metabolism and toxicity in Swiss mice.

The effects of piperonyl butoxide (PB) on the metabolism and toxicity of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in Swiss mice were determined. PB, at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg, inhibited DMN demethylase 45 min after treatment by 18 and 37%. These inhibitory effects were marked 0.5 hr after PB (640 mg/kg) treatment and reached maximal effects at 2 hr when there was 55% inhibition of enzyme activity. The inhibition by PB continued for 24 hr where enzyme activity was suppressed by 35%. At 48 hr after treatment there was stimulation of enzyme activity. Enzyme kinetic determinations showed no change in Km but Vmax decreased from 129 to 49 mumol CH2O/min-g liver. PB (640 mg/kg) inhibited DMN (500 mg/kg; im) mutagenicity in the host-mediated assay, decreasing the mutant frequency by 42%. Paradoxically, PB (640 mg/kg) had no effect on the alkylation of nucleic acids or proteins in mouse liver, kidney, lung, or spleen. In addition, pretreatment with PB (640 mg/kg) had no effect on the LD50 of DMN.