On the spectral intermediate at 440 nm formed during mixed function substrate oxidation.

Abstract The spectral shoulder formed at 440 nm in microsomes oxidising hexobarbital and other drugs has been investigated and some of its properties characterised. Hexobarbital, pentobarbital, ethylmorphine and barbital produce this shoulder, while acetanilide, aniline, desmethylimipramine, imipramine, metyrapone and SKF 525-A do not. The formation of the 440 nm shoulder depends on the presence of NADPH and oxygen and is reduced in size when NADH is also present. At saturating substrate concentrations the size of the 440 nm shoulder is correlated to the cytochrome P-450 content. The hexobarbital induced shoulder can be inhibited by drug metabolism inhibitors such as metyrapone, imipramine …