Glucosinolates toxicity in growing rats: interactions with the hepatic detoxification system.

1. Glucosinolate-rich diet (RM) in growing rats increased liver (a), kidneys (b), and thyroid (c) weights and depleted feed intake (d), growth curve (e) and T4 and T3 plasma levels (f). 2. Oral administration of phenobarbital enhanced the toxic effect of RM on (b), (d) and (e) and did not modify the toxic effect of RM on (a), (c) and (f). 3. RM had a depleting effect on hepatic microsomal P-450 specific activity. 4. RM had an enhancing effect on hepatic glutathione S-transferase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase specific activities. 5. These results indicate that some glucosinolate derivatives released by gut microflora metabolism are further metabolized by the hepatic detoxification system, and that they could play the role of co-toxic or co-detoxic molecules.