Inhibition of hepatic xenobiotic metabolism and of glutathione-dependent enzyme activities by zinc ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate in the rabbit.

Effects of either a single (300 mg/kg) or a subchronic (0.3 and 0.6% for 70 days) oral administration of a dithiocarbamate fungicide (zinc ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate, zineb) on hepatic drug metabolism and on the activity of several glutathione-dependent enzymes were investigated in male New Zealand White rabbits. While a pronounced reduction in the rate of oxidative biotransformations occurred after either single or repeated exposure, both cytochrome P450 and total haem content were lowered following acute challenge to zineb. None of the experimental protocols affected microsomal carboxylesterase but induced a marked increase in glutathione content and none of the examined glutathione-dependent enzymes was altered by the single administration of zineb, whereas the subchronically exposed rabbits showed a fall in the activities of both total glutathione S-transferase and selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase. In the 0.6% treated animals, a decrease in class mu glutathione S-transferase and glyoxalase I, and an increase in thiol-transferase activities were also recorded. It is concluded that (1) zineb is able to selectively impair oxidative drug metabolism with possible different mechanism(s) according to the duration of the exposure, (2) only the subchronic treatment affects glutathione-dependent enzymes, (3) the decrease in glutathione S-transferase activity would seem to be ascribed to a direct interaction with the fungicide.