The influence of dietary R-
goitrin on components of the
xenobiotic-metabolizing system was examined in the liver and small intestine of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Given at a level of 200 ppm in the diet for 14 days, the R-
goitrin caused a statistically significant (P less than 0.05) 21% increase in liver weight relative to
body weight. A less pronounced, but statistically significant, 11% increase in relative liver weight resulted from the administration of R-
goitrin at 40 ppm in the diet. Hepatic
glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly increased 1.5- and 2-fold over the basal level at concentrations of 40 and 200 ppm R-
goitrin, respectively. Hepatic microsomal
epoxide hydratase (EH) activity was also significantly increased. Hepatic EH activity was 1.6- and 3.3-fold greater in the 40- and 200-ppm R-
goitrin groups, respectively, than in the control group given the basal diet. R-
Goitrin at 200 ppm in the diet produced significant 1.2- and 1.4-fold increases of GST and microsomal EH activities, respectively, in the mucosa of the small intestine. The administration of R-
goitrin at 40 or 200 ppm in the diet had no significant effect on either hepatic or intestinal
ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity.