Glutathione depletion by phorone organ specificity and effect on hepatic microsomal mixed-function oxidase system

Phorone (diisopropylidene acetone) led to a strong depletion of cellular glutathione in liver, kidney and heart but not in lung or brain upon administration to mice or rats. Its efficacy in lowering hepatic glutathione levels was comparable to that of diethylmaleate. Unlike this agent, however, phorone did not affect the microsomal mixed-function oxidase system at all. Our findings favor the use of phorone when studying the effect of a decreased glutathione content on detoxication, bioactivation or drug metabolism mechanisms, as it merely interacts with glutathione itself.