Naturally occurring phenolics, protocatechuic and tannic acids have been reported to be inhibitors of chemical mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in experimental models. Here, we have studied the effect of pretreatment with these compounds on MC-induced cytochrome P450 and phase II enzymes in rats. The male Wistar rats were treated intraperitoneally with protocatechuic acid and tannic acid in the dose of 50mg/kg every 3 days for 2 weeks. MC was administered at the 12th day of phenolics treatment. The activities of EROD (CYP1A1), MROD (CYP1A2), PROD (CYP2B), PNPH (CYP2E1), GST, UDPGT, NQO1 were measured in the liver and kidney. Protocatechuic acid treatment minimally reduced the MC-induced EROD and MROD, but the observed differences were statistically significant. This compound was also a weak inhibitor of hepatic PNPH. Moreover, Western blot analysis with CYP1A1/1A2- and CYP2E1-specific antibodies showed the same effect in the levels of hepatic CYP1A1/1A2 and CYP2E1. Minimal decrease of renal constitutive (by 23%) and more significant reduction of induced form (by 66%) of PNPH was found as result of treatment with protocatechuic acid. Tannic acid alone had no effect on cytochrome P450 enzymes while in combination with MC this polyphenol minimally enhanced the MC induction of MROD and in greater extent PNPH in liver. The treatment with protocatechuic acid alone enhanced slightly the activities of all three phase II enzymes in liver. The pretreatment with this phenolic of the MC-induced rats however significantly increased the activities of hepatic GST and NQO1 in comparison with MC-treated group. In kidney MC-induced activity of NQO1 was reduced (about 43%) to the control level by tannic acid pretreatment. The results of our present study indicate that in rat the prolonged treatment with protocatechuic acid affects differently the activities of CYP and phase II enzyme when compared to tannic acid. Moreover, the effect of this polyphenols significantly depends on the method of treatment.