RESUMO
Drugs are chiefly metabolised in the liver usually in two phases, viz. oxidation and conjugation. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM), rehabilitation and effect of phenobarbitone on the hepatic drug metabolising enzymes in weanling albino rats, fed on a semisynthetic diet containing 18% or 0.5% protein. The two representative enzymes of oxidation and conjugation employed were aminopyrine N-demethylase and bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase, respectively. The study revealed that PCM severely impairs oxidative drug metabolising enzyme but less so in conjugation stage. On refeeding 18% protein diet, drug metabolising enzymes returned to normal within 2-3 weeks. Phenobarbitone administration increased the activities of drug metabolising enzymes.