EVALUATION OF THE INDUCTION OF HEPATIC DRUG-METABOLIZING ENZYMES IN THE RAT AND MOUSE TREATED WITH TEMAZEPAM USING TRIMETHADIONE AS THE INDICATOR

Abstract

In the present paper we report the effect of high doses of temazepam on drug-metabolism induction in rat and mouse. Temazepam induced a dose-dependent and reversible increase of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes in the rat, dose-correlated increase of dimethadione / trimethadione ratios in plasma of the rat, and dose-related shortening of hexobarbital-induced sleeping time in the mouse. In this study trimethadione is considered a good indicator for estimating the state of hepatic enzyme induction.