Effect of p-xylene metabolites, p-methylbenzyl alcohol and 2,5-dimethylphenol, on rat hepatic and pulmonary microsomal metabolism.

B J Day, G P Carlson

Index: Res. Commun. Chem. Pathol. Pharmacol. 76(1) , 117-20, (1992)

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Abstract

Pulmonary metabolites of p-xylene, p-methylbenzyl alcohol (PMBA) and 2,5-dimethylphenol (DMP), were employed to investigate the divergent effects of p-xylene on pulmonary and hepatic metabolism. Rats were given PMBA, DMP, or 10% cremophore (control) ip daily for 3 days, and effects on hepatic and pulmonary microsomal metabolism were determined 12 hours later. Both PMBA and DMP mimic the decrease in pulmonary benzyloxyresorufin-O-debenzylase activity previously reported for p-xylene, but neither could account for the potent induction of cytochrome P450 in the liver. Only PMBA had a consistent effect on P450IIB apoprotein levels, decreasing them in both the liver and lung. These data suggest that PMBA may have a significant role in the inhibition of pulmonary P450 caused by p-xylene.