The development of kinetic parameters of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes in perinatal rats

The development of the apparent kinetic parameters K- m and V-max was studied in perinatal Wistar rats for three functionally diverse, hepatic enzymes (p-nitroanisole O-demethylase, carboxylesterase and bromosulphophthalein-glutathione conjugating enzyme), the period studied being from 3 days prepatum to 35 days postpartum. The kinetic parameters underwent marked quantitative changes during development, which appeared to be independent of sex for the first 5 weeks postpartum.