Abstract
The inhibitory activity of a series of 13 1-alkylimidazoles toward microsomal epoxidation of aldrin in enzyme preparations from rat liver and armyworm (
Prodenia eridania) gut is optimal in compounds with a chain length of 8–10 carbon atoms. The capacity of the imidazoles to bind to cytochrome P-450 (type II) appears to be closely related to their inhibitory activity. The activity of the compounds
in vivo in synergizing the toxicity of carbaryl to houseflies and potentiating pentobarbital sleeping time in mice closely parallels the data
in vitro. Regression analyses clearly establish that both activity patterns
in vitro and
in vivo can be satisfactorily described by linear equations in terms of the hydrophobic bonding constant (π and π
2) indicating a close correlation between biological activity and lipophilic character.
