Inhalation of butanols: changes in the cytochrome P-450 enzyme system

After inhalation of different butanol isomers for 3 days (2000 ppm) and 5 days (500 ppm), liver and kidney parameters of the microsomal cytochrome P-450 enzyme system were increased. sec-Butanol caused the highest increase in cytochrome P-450 concentration with a 47% rise in the kidneys (500 ppm for 5 days) and 33% in the liver (2000 ppm for 3 days). A concomitant increase of the in vitro n-hexane metabolism in liver microsomes was observed with a 77% increased formation of the preneurotoxic metabolite 2-hexanol compared with control. iso-Butanol did not alter total cytochrome P-450 concentration but caused a significant 30% decrease in the formation of 2-hexanol. Inhalation of all butanols slightly decreased the enzyme levels in the lung. Changes in microsomal enzymes did not correlate with measured serum concentrations of the different butanols showing different inducing capacities among the butanol isomers themselves or the participation of metabolites in the inducing process. As a conclusion sec-butanol, probably through its metabolite methyl-ethyl-ketone, is the most potent inducer of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in liver and kidney while iso-butanol does not alter total cytochrome P-450.