Reductive metabolism of nitroaromatic compounds by various liver microsomes

Nitroaromatic compounds were reductively metabolized to the corresponding amine compounds via the intermediate hydroxylamines by liver microsomes from pig, rat, chook, cattle, sheep, paralichthys olivaceus and cyprinoid in varied reactivity. Similar with baker's yeast, the pig, rat and sheep liver microsomes exhibited high reactivity toward 4-nitro-1,2-dicyanbenzen(1a), while the cyprinoid liver microsomes were inefficient. Contrasted to compound 1a, monocyannitrobenzene(2a) was difficult to reduce by pig liver microsomes. In opposition to grape cells, pig liver microsomes exhibited activities toward some aromatic hydroxylamine compounds.