Amplifing Effect of Dietary Taurine on the Induction of Cytochrome P-450 and on the Urinary Excretion of Ascorbic Acid in Rats Fed on Phenobarbital-containing Diets

Abstract

  Dietary taurine amplified the induction of cytochrome P-450 and the urinary excretion of ascorbic acid in rats fed on phenobarbital (PB)-containing diets. These facts suggest that taurine could influence the hepatic metabolism of xenobiotics via the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DME) and the ascorbic acid metabolism. Taurine might improve the function of DME exposed by some xenobiotics.