Reductive metabolism of p,p'-DDT and o,p'-DDT by rat liver cytochrome P450.

The in vitro metabolism of p,p'-DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], an important environmental pollutant, was examined in rat liver, focusing on reductive dechlorination. When p,p'-DDT was incubated with liver microsomes of rats in the presence of NADPH or NADH, a dechlorinated metabolite, p,p'-DDD [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], was formed under anaerobic conditions together with a dehydrochlorinated metabolite, p,p'-DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene]. p,p'-DDE was also formed from p,p'-DDD by liver microsomes.