The effects of tricyclohexyltin hydroxide on the induction of cytochrome P-450 in liver by phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene and beta-naphthoflavone were studied. A single dose of the organotin (15 mg/kg body wt) prevented the full extent of phenobarbital induction of cytochrome P-450 from occurring; this was the case whether tricyclohexyltin was given 48 hr preceeding a single injection of phenobarbital, or administered simultaneously with the first of three daily doses of the drug. Elevation of hepatic heme oxygenase (EC 1.14.99.3) activity accompanied these changes in cytochrome P-450, but the induction of this enzyme was not affected by phenobarbital treatment. The induction of cytochrome P-448 by 3-methylcholanthrene and beta-naphthoflavone was not affected to the same extent by a single injection of tricyclohexyltin, while heme oxygenase induction was less pronounced when these cytochrome P-448 inducers were given together with the organotin. The changes in cytochrome P-450 content and in its functional activity resulting from the various treatments were further examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the microsomal fractions. The electrophoretic profiles illustrate clearly that the apoprotein moieties of the various cytochrome P-450 subspecies are affected to a considerable extent by treatment with tricyclohexyltin hydroxide alone, and staining in these bands was noticeably reduced even when phenobarbital was administered together with the organotin. In contrast, tricyclohexyltin failed to decreased the 3-methylcholanthrene- or beta-naphthoflavone-induced cytochrome P-450 subspecies. These data suggest that significant metabolic interactions can occur from exposure to a combination of environmental chemicals and drugs resulting in an altered metabolism of heme and cytochrome P-450.