Effect of high and prolonged gari diets on some microsomal enzymes activities of rat liver

Male wister albino rats (90–130 g) were fed control and gari (56% w/w) (a dried cassava product) containing diets for 9 wks and sacrificed at intervals (1, 3, 6 and 9 wks). Liver microsomal fractions were assayed for glucose-6-phosphatase, NADPH-cytochrome c (P-450) reductase, NADPH-dichlorophenolindophenol reductase, cytochrome P-450 peroxidase and aniline hydroxylase activities. Whereas changes were observed in the activity rates of all enzymes, significant changes were observed in the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity (43% inhibited,P<0.001) and glucose-6-phosphatase (19% inhibited,P<0.05) at 9 wk. The results are discussed in terms of the hepatotoxicity of gari.