Studies on nifurtimox nitroreductase activity in liver and other rat tissues

Rat liver microsomes exhibit nifurtimox (NFX) nitroreductase activity, which is mostly NADPH-dependent and is completely abolished by heating and under an atmosphere of air. Pure carbon monoxide inhibits for 28% microsomal NFX nitroreductase activity while FAD 1 mM significantly enhances it. Smaller activities than in liver were found in brain, small intestine, testes, lung and heart. Rat liver cytosol also showed NFX nitroreductase activity using either hypoxanthine or N-methylnicotinamide as substrates. These activities were inhibited by allopurinol or menadione respectively. Results suggest that cytochrome P-450, NADPH cytochrome c reductase, xanthinoxidase and aldehyde oxidase are able to reduce NFX nitrogroups in rat liver and other tissues.