[Evaluation of the inducing action of aroclor 1254 in rats in long-term experiment]

The pharmacokinetics of antipyrine in a dose of 20 mg/kg i.v. and cytochrome P-450 level in liver, were studied in control and pretreated rats with 1, 5, 25 ppm polychlorinated biphenyls in food for up to 120 days. The objective of this work was to quantitate the effects of low environmental levels of the contaminant and enzyme inducer (PCB) on the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine, a drug whose primary elimination route is liver metabolism. After 30 days of pretreatment only the 25 ppm treated rats showed any significant acceleration of antipyrine elimination. At the 60 and 120 days samplings, both the 5 and 25 ppm pretreatments show significant acceleration of antipyrine elimination. The changes in cytochrome P-450 lever were similar and no significant effects on body weight and volume of distribution was observed.