Effect of malotilate (diisopropyl 1,3-dithiol-2-ylidenemalonate) on drug metabolizing activity in rat liver microsomes

The effect of malotilate (diisopropyl 1,3-dithiol-2-ylidenemalonate) on drug metabolizing activity in rat liver microsomes was examined. Malotilate (500 mg/kg/day) was administered orally to rats for 3 days. The contents of cytochrome P-450 (P-450) and cytochrome b5 (b5), the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and the metabolization of aniline, aminopyrine, benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) and 7-ethoxycoumarin (7-EC) in the microsomal fraction were examined 24 hr after the final administration of malotilate. The content of b5 and the activity of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase were increased by the malotilate treatment, but the content of P-450 was not significantly affected. 7-EC O-deethylation was markedly and aminopyrine N-demethylation was moderately enhanced; in contrast, aniline hydroxylation was significantly and B(a)P hydroxylation was slightly reduced. Such different effects of malotilate among the four substrate-metabolizing activities may be due mainly to the increase in the content of b5, which participates in the transport of the second electron required for P-450 function to various extents. It is also possible that malotilate affects the population of P-450 subtypes, each having a different substrate specificity and a different affinity for b5.