The effects of exogenous phospholipase A2, oleic acid and lysolecithines on oxidative NADPH-dependent O-dealkylation of 7-ethoxycumarin in liver microsomes of phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-induced and non-induced rats were studied. Oleic acid up to the concentration of 100 micrograms/mg of protein did not inhibit this process. gamma-Myristoyl and gamma-palmitoyl lysolecithines decreased the reaction rate already at concentrations of 2-4 micrograms/mg of protein. Oleic acid was attached to cytochrome P-450 according to type I binding, whereas lysolecithines did not bind to the cytochrome. Thus, in the presence of phospholipase A2 in liver microsomes of non-induced rats, when the phospholipid hydrolysis products are accumulated at low concentrations, 7-ethoxycumarin deethylase is inhibited by lysophospholipids but not by free fatty acids. In 3-methylcholanthrene-induced microsomes the sensitivity of O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycumarin to the inhibiting effect of phospholipase A2 or lysolecithine is lower than that in non-induced or phenobarbital-induced microsomes.