Twenty-eight-day oral toxicity study of lycopene from recombinant Escherichia coli in rats.

Lycopene produced by recombinant Escherichia coli was tested for subacute oral toxicity to determine its No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level (NOAEL). Doses of 0, 200, 500 and 2000 mg/kg body weight/day were administered daily by gavage to 10 rats/sex/group for 28 days. No statistically significant, dose-related effect on body weight gain, clinical signs or ophthalmoscopic parameters was observed in any treatment group.

Profile of territrem metabolism and cytochrome P-450 3A expression in liver microsomes from Wistar rats of both genders as a function of age.

This study determined territrem metabolites after incubation of territrem A, B, or C with NADPH and liver microsomes from Wistar rat of both genders aged 2 to 76 wk. The liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 content, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activity, and CYP3A1 and CYP3A2 protein and mRNA levels were also analyzed. Male rats had significantly higher liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase activities than females at 14 to 26 wk.