A possible cytochrome P-450-mediated N-oxidation of diethylcarbamazine

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Abstract
There was a marked sex difference in the N-oxidation of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) in the rat. In 72 h, 41 and 20% of the administered DEC was excreted in urine as the N-oxide in male and female rats respectively. Safrole, metyrapone and ethanol inhibited this N-oxide formation in male rats by 71, 37 and 44% whereas in female rats the values were 20, 25 and 0% respectively. Phenobarbitone and anthracene enhanced N-oxide formation in male rats by 17 and 20% and in female rats by 50 and 90% respectively, but the amount of the N-oxide formed was more in the males. The result suggests a possible involvement of a sub-population of cytochrome P-450 isozyme (which is more in male rats) in the N-oxidation of DEC.