Effects of a single administration of dichloromethane (DCM) on the hepatic drug metabollzing activity were determined using adult female rats. Rats were treated with DCM (3 mmol/kg, ip) and the disappearance of antipyrine (100 mg/kg, iv) or ethanol (2 g/kg, ip) from blood was measured. The blood concentration and half-life of antipyrine was not influenced by DCM administration. And DCM did not alter the blood concentration of ethanol measured for 240 min after the treatment. The effect of DCM treatment on in vitro cytochrome P-450-dependent enzyme activities was examined as well. No significant difference in either aniline hydroxylase or aminopyrine N-demethylase was observed in hepatic microsomal fractiorts of rats treated with DCM 24 hr prior to sacrifice. The present study indicates that acutely given DCM does not alter the metabolism of xenobiotics in vivo. The failure of DCM to alter the in vitro hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing activity was also noted.