[The effect of aflatoxin B1 on vitamin A status and on microsomal mixed function oxidase in male mouse]

Thirty healty male mice were divided into two groups. One group received oral dose of AFBi (900 micrograms/kg) for seven days and another the same amount of solvent in the same way during this period. AFB1 significantly decreased the content of VitA in the serum and liver, respectively, 60% and 36% less than that of the control, while it increased the content in kidney, 33% more than that of the control. AFB1 markedly induced hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 and the concentration of cytochrome P450 increased 43%. But no effect was found in the activity of hepatic microsomal NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase by AFB1. The experimental results show that AFB1 can reduce the level of VitA in vivo and this effect on VitA is correlative with induction of hepatic microsome cytochrome P450.