Evaluation of cytochrome p450 microsomal enzyme inducing ability of barbiturates in male albino rats

Barbiturates are hypnotic (sleep-inducing) drugs and notable drugs of abuse. They are extremely useful in clinical practice and are commonly prescribed as treatment for a variety of conditions. Barbiturates are known hepatic enzyme inducers and have significant stimulatory effects on the cytochrome P450 enzyme family. This study was aimed at evaluating the degree of cytochrome P450 enzyme family stimulation in a standard prescribed treatment regimen with a view to ascertaining changes in hepatic mitochondrial protein as an indicator of the drug adverse effect. Parenteral formulation of the drug was administered to the experimental rats in a simple randomized study after 7days of adequate acclamatization. The control animals received placebo treatment. All the animals were sacrificed after completing treatment. Protein status of each animal was assayed in the mitochondrial fraction of the liver while the stimulatory capacity of the drug was assayed in the microsomal fraction. Results revealed that mean protein status of the experimental animals did not differ significantly compared with the control animals (p>0.05). However, there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) on the activity of the cytochrome P450 enzyme family between the test and control animals. Hence, the need for a large scale study involving human subjects considering the widespread use of the drug in clinical medicine.