[Effects of ethylene oxide on hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450: an in vitro study]

The effect of ethylene oxide on rat hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 was studied in vitro. Cytochrome P-450, but not b5, was decreased by ethanol. When hepatic microsome was bubbled with ethylene oxide gas, cytochrome P-450 content remained unchanged when compared with CO2 bubbling. The addition of NADPH 1 mM also did not change cytochrome P-450 significantly. The excessive high exposure to 500 mM ethylene oxide also did not affect microsomal cytochrome P-450. These results indicate that ethylene oxide does not destroy directly the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 under these conditions.