Effect of pretreatment with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on binding of 14C-BHT to lung microsomes

The effect of pretreatment with BHT on the binding of 14C-BHT to lung microsomes was examined in vitro. The amount of radioactivity bound to microsomal macromolecules significantly decreased by pretreatment of rats with BHT. This decrease was accompanied by a decrement in the content of cytochrome P-450 and in BHT oxidase activity. Furthermore, the behaviour of these components was dependent upon the dose of BHT given. On the other hand, these three components were unchanged in phenobarbital-pretreated rats.