Effects of commonly consumed vegetables on hepatic xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the mouse

Abstract

To investigate the effects of consuming a variety of common vegetables on the activities of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in the mouse liver, male C57BL/6 mice were fed purified diets supplemented isocalorically with 20% freeze-dried powdered kidney bean, soya bean, alfalfa, cauliflower, mustard greens, carrot, kale, Brussels sprouts, beet, egg plant or onion or with 40% sweet potato. Hepatic ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECD) activity was increased significantly ( P ⩽ 0.05) over the controls in the mice fed diets containing kidney bean (1.5-fold), alfalfa (1.6-fold), cauliflower (2.2-fold), mustard greens (1.2-fold), carrots (1.2-fold) and kale (1.3-fold). No significant increases in ECD activity were seen in the other groups. Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity was assayed in the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts groups and was found to be unaffected by these diets. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and epoxide hydratase (EH) activities were increased ( P ⩽ 0.05) by soya bean (1.2- and 1.6-fold respectively). Brussels sprouts (2.0- and 1.6-fold), cauliflower (1.2- and 1.6-fold), alfalfa (1.3- and 2.0-fold) and onion (1.8- and 2.3-fold). No significant increases in GST or EH activities were seen in the other groups. Of the twelve vegetables investigated, only three (sweet potato, beet and egg plant) had no statistically significant effects on any of the xenobiotic-metabolizing parameters tested. However, the beet diet caused an apparent inhibition of ECD activity (74% of control) and the sweet potato diet caused an apparent increase (1.3-fold) in GST activity, although statistical significance could not be established at P ⩽ 0.05.