Glutathione conjugates as metabolites of benz[a]anthracene.

1. [3H]Benz[a]anthracene is converted into water-soluble metabolites by microsomal plus soluble fractions of rat-liver in the presence of NADPH and glutathione. Chromatography on Sephadex G25 gave four radioactive peaks; the first contained hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon derivatives bound to soluble protein while the other three peaks contained glutathione conjugates of hydrocarbon metabolites.

Enzymic reduction of aromatic hydrocarbon epoxides by the microsomal fraction of rat liver.

1. The oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons to arene oxides and the reduction of these oxides to the parent hydrocarbons are both catalysed by enzymes in the microsomal fraction of rat liver. A suggested name for the enzyme concerned in the reduction of these epoxides is 'epoxide reductase'.