Longitudinal studies on the interaction of perfluorochemicals with liver cytochromes P-450 by means of testing the rate of detoxification of pentobarbital.

ABSTRACT

Four perfluorochemicals, Bis-[F-butyl]ethene, perfluorocyclohexylmorpholine, perfluorodecalin and perfluorooctylbromide were compared by their influence on the liver cytochrome P-450 system, measuring the pentobarbital sleeping time as defined by the time of loss of the righting reflex in rats. In all experiments first a prolongation of barbital detoxification was observed, which lasted at least 2-4 days. Thereafter a very long extended period of abbreviated sleeping time followed which was only missed after perfluoroctylbromide. Thus substrate competition, uncoupling of monooxygenation and enzyme induction determine the detoxifying processes in the liver that follow the administration of perfluorochemicals.