Activity of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes following oxazepam-dosed feed treatment in B6C3F1 mice.

Oxazepam has been determined to be a potent hepatocarcinogen in mice. Evidence in the literature indicates that oxazepam is capable of inducing drug metabolizing enzymes in rodents and an association between enzyme induction and carcinogenesis has been proposed for other compounds such as phenobarbital. We examined the pattern of enzyme induction that occurs under bioassay conditions in male B6C3F1 mice. The results indicate that oxazepam is capable of inducing multiple drug metabolizing enzymes under bioassay conditions. Closer examination of the most induced samples suggests that oxazepam is a phenobarbital-type enzyme inducer.