Short-term treatment of rats with hepatocarcinogens elicits a consistent pattern of phenotypic changes in hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes, the most striking of which is a marked increase in microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EH) activity. The antihistaminic drug methapyrilene induces a high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in F-344 rats. The studies reported here were designed to assess the effects of methapyrilene on hepatic EH activity, cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function oxidase activities, liver morphology, and liver-derived serum enzymes. Male F-344 rats were treated with three daily oral doses of methapyrilene-HCl, up to 300 mg/kg/day, and were sacrificed 48 hr after the last dose. Hepatic microsomal EH and cytosolic DT-diaphorase activities were increased in a dose-related fashion, to 420 and 230% of control, respectively. Cytochrome P-450 content and benzphetamine-N-demethylase and ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activities were concomitantly decreased to 35-50% of control. Serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alanine aminotransferase activities were elevated 22- to 27-fold, and serum bile acids to 36-fold by treatment with methapyrilene. Periportal lesions, characterized by inflammation, nuclear and nucleolar enlargement, bile duct hyperplasia, and hepatocellular necrosis, were observed following methapyrilene administration. The severity of the periportal lesion correlated with elevations in the serum chemistry parameters. The increases noted in microsomal EH activity supports the suggestion that this enzyme may be a useful biochemical marker for exposure to hepatocarcinogens.