Isolation and identification of the liver microsomal cytochrome P 450 isoen zymes responsible for the formation of diazepam main metabolites nordiazepam and temazepam in rats were studied. The effects of P 450 inducers and inhibitors on the protein contents in SDS poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis and thin layer chromatography to the corresponding diazepam me tabolizing activities of rat liver microsomes were observed. The P 450 contents were dramatically re duced by ip diazepam, cimetidine or propranolol. Diazepam and propranolol inhibited temazepam formation, high dose of propranolol also inhibited nordiazepam formation. Phenobarbital increased the P 450 contents and induced the production of both nordiazepam and temazepam. It also induced proteins with molecular weight (m) of 51 and 59 kDa in SDS PAGE and those with m ranging from 45 to 55 kDa and from 55 to 65 kDa in TLC. Propranolol inhibited both fractions, especially that of m 55～65 kDa, whereas diazepam tended to inhibit the fraction of 45～55 kDa. The protein of m 51 kDa could be mainly involved in diazepam C3 hydroxylation, whereas those of m 59 kDa could be responsible for the N demethylation of diazepam in rats.
