Inactivation of constitutive hepatic cytochromes P450 by phencyclidine in the rat

The purpose of this study was to determine whether phencyclidine (PCP) inhibits constitutive hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) isozymes when administered to naive adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were pretreated with PCP (25 mg/kg/day for 2 days), killed 3 and 16 hr after the last dose, and liver microsomes prepared. The washed microsomes were then assayed for benzphetamine, methamphetamine (MA), and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) N-demethylation together with MDMA demethylenation and MA 4-hydroxylation activities. MDMA demethylenation (low substrate concentration), MA 4-hydroxylation, and metoprolol alpha-hydroxylation reactions, which are catalyzed by CYP2D isozymes, were reduced > 74% 3 hr after the last PCP dose and were only partially restored 13 hr later. Benzphetamine and (-)-MDMA N-demethylation activities were restored to control values 16 hr after the last dose. These results indicate that PCP suppresses constitutive isozymes, including CYP2C11 and members of the CYP2D subfamily. The suppression of cytochromes P450 activity by PCP in vivo is consistent with its in vitro actions found in this and other studies, and demonstrates that alteration of CYP activity is another pharmacological effect of this compound.