Evidence for cytochrome P-450 as a source of catalytic iron in myoglobinuric acute renal failure. Iron has been implicated to play an important role in several models of tissue injury, including myoglobinuric acute renal failure. In this model, myoglobin released from the injured muscle is generally accepted as a source of iron. In the present study we measured the bleomycin-detectable iron (iron capable of catalyzing free radical reactions) in the kidneys and examined the role of cytochrome P-450 as a source of catalytic iron in glycerol-induced model of myoglobinuric acute renal failure. Rats were injected with 50% glycerol (8 ml/kg) i.m. after overnight water deprivation and sacrificed 24 hours later. There was a marked and a specific increase in the bleomycin-detectable iron content accompanied by a marked decrease in the cytochrome P-450 content in the kidneys of glycerol treated rats. We then examined the effects of two different cytochrome P-450 inhibitors, cimetidine (with ranitidine as a control) and piperonyl butoxide. Cimetidine, but not ranitidine, significantly prevented the increase of bleomycin-detectable iron in the kidneys of glycerol-treated rats. The loss of cytochrome P-450 content was substantially blocked by both inhibitors, cimetidine and piperonyl butoxide, but not by ranitidine. Both the inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 provided functional (as measured by BUN and creatinine) and histological protection against glycerol-induced acute renal failure. Our data thus demonstrate a marked increase in bleomycin-detectable iron in the kidneys of glycerol-treated rats. Our data also indicate that inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 provide protection against glycerol-induced acute renal failure and that cytochrome P-450 may be a significant source of this iron in this model of acute renal failure.