Inhibitors of cyclodiene epoxide ring hydrating enzymes of the blowfly, Calliphova erythvocephala

A cyclodiene epoxide notable for its susceptibility to enzymic epoxide ring hydration in living organisms has been used to investigate potential inhibitors of the enzyme involved (epoxide hydrase), which is mainly microsomal, but distinct from the microsomal oxidases. Compounds with varying degrees of inhibitory efficiency include insect hormone analogues containing epoxide rings, certain other epoxides, methylenedioxybenzene‐derived insecticide synergists, tri‐o‐cresyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate and the microsomal oxidase inhibitor SKF 525A. The simple epoxides 1,l,l‐trichloro‐2,3‐epoxy‐propane and l,2‐epoxy‐l,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene are the best inhibitors of this enzyme in blowfly pupal homogenates.