Inhibition of microsomal oxidation by o-benzoquinone derivatives

It was found that o-benzoquinone derivatives inhibit the hydroxylation of aniline without any appreciable influence on the spectral changes which are due to cytochrome P-450 binding to the substrate. A comparative kinetic study of inhibition of aniline hydroxylation and NADPH-dependent reduction of o-benzoquinones in liver microsomes revealed that the inhibition is due to the ability of these compounds to shunt microsomal electron transport pathways.