The formation of ligand complexes between hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 and safrole, isosafrole and other methylenedioxyphenyl compounds was studied in vivo and in vitro in rats pretreated with either phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene. Both the phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P-450 and the 3-methylcholanthrene-induced cytochrome P-448 metabolically convert safrole, isosafrole, and those metabolites possessing an intact methylenedioxy group, to reactive metabolites which then interact with the cytochromes to form ligand complexes. Formation of these ligand complexes was accompanied by loss of mixed-function oxidase activities, and dissociation of the complexes with the type I substrate biphenyl restored activities. Safrole and, to a lesser extent, 1'-hydroxysafrole formed complexes in vivo when administered to phenobarbital-pretreated rats; none was obtained with epoxysafrole. However, when administered to 3-methylcholanthrene-pretreated animals all three compounds formed complexes, safrole being the least effective. Epoxysafrole and 1'-hydroxysafrole administered to phenobarbital-pretreated rats resulted in slight inhibition of the type I binding of safrole to liver microsomal P-450 in vitro; in contrast, with 3-methylcholanthrene-pretreated animals marked competitive inhibition was observed. This study shows that oxidation of the allyl chain of safrole analogues enhances their affinity for cytochrome P-448, but not for cytochrome P-450, and further demonstrates that these cytochromes possess distinctly different binding sites.