The development of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the neonatal guinea-pig

In the guinea-pig, drug-metabolizing enzyme activities, with the exception of glucuronylation and possibly hydrolysis, tend to develop more rapidly after birth than in the other commonly investigated rodent species. This anomalous nature of the guinea-pig during its neonatal period should be borne in mind when assessing drug-metabolizing capacity and the potential toxic effects of chemicals in developing animals.