When Cd (3.58 mg CdCl2.H2O/kg, ip) was administered to male guinea pigs 72 h prior to sacrifice, the metal significantly inhibited the aniline 4-hydroxylase (AH) (16%), ethylmorphone N-demethylase (EMND) (26%), and aminopyrine N-demethylase (AMND) (18%) activities and cytochrome P-450 (12%) and cytochrome b5 (10%) levels. Cd did not alter the hepatic microsomal heme level. Cd, however, significantly increased the hepatic microsomal p-nitroanisole O-demethylase (p-NAOD) (53%) activity. When Ni (59.5 mg NiCl2 x 6H2O/kg, sc) was administered to the guinea pigs 16 h prior to sacrifice, the metal significantly depressed AH (49%), p-NAOD (66%), EMND (47%), and AMND (37%) activities, and cytochrome P-450 (15%), cytochrome b5 (24%), and microsomal heme (28%) levels. For the combined treatment, animals received the single dose of Ni 56 h after the single dose of Cd and then were killed 16 h later. In these animals, significant inhibitions were noted in AH (51%), EMND (47%), and AMND (30%) activities, and cytochrome P-450 (15%), cytochrome b5 (26%), and microsomal heme (30%) compared to those of controls. In the case of p-NAOD activity, the influence was in favor of Ni, i.e., the inhibition was about 61% by the combined treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)