Abstract The cancer chemopreventive potential of chitosanoligosaccharides was investigated by measuring the induction of quinone reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities and inhibition of cytochrome P450 1A1, 2B1, and 2E1 activities. Chitosanoligosaccharide I (1-${kappa}$Da<MW<3-${kappa}$Da) significantly induced glutathione S-transferase activity with a maximal 1.5-fold increase at 500 ${mu}$g/ml, while chitosanoligosaccharide II (3-${kappa}$Da<MW<5-${kappa}$Da) (500 ${mu}$g/ml) strongly induced quinone reductase (p<0.01) and glutathione S-transferase (p<0.005) activities. The in vitro incubation of rat liver microsomes with chitosanoligosaccharides I and II (2.5, 5, 50, and 500 ${mu}$g/ml) showed a dose-dependent inhibiton of cytochrome P450 1A1, 2B1, and 2E1 activities. Chitosanoligosaccharide II was a more potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450 2B1 activity than chitosanoligosaccharide I. Accordingly, these findings suggest that chitosanoligosaccharides are potential chemopreventive agents.