Induction of hepatic cytochrome P-450 and drug metabolism by metyrapone in the rat: relevance to its effects in rat-liver cell culture.

The ability of metyrapone to induce hepatic cytochrome P-450 and xenobiotic metabolism in rats and rat hepatocyte culture has been studied. Metyrapone is a phenobarbitone-type inducer in rats. When rat hepatocytes were cultured with beta-naphthoflavone, a polycyclic hydrocarbon-type induction pattern was observed. In contrast, the observed induction pattern of both phenobarbitone and metyrapone in cell culture differed from that obtained with these compounds in vivo. The relationship between the nature of the induction of hepatic xenobiotic metabolism by metyrapone in vivo and its effects in liver-cell culture are discussed.