Liver lipid peroxidation and glutathione‐related defence enzyme systems in mice treated with paracetamol

Abstract

Glutathione levels were found to be decreased while lipid peroxide levels were increased in total liver homogenates 6 h following paracetamol treatment (500 mg kg-1 i.p.). Furthermore, it has been determined that cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was decreased and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity remained unchanged. On the other hand, a decrease in liver microsomal lipid peroxide levels and an increase in GST and GSH-Px activity has been observed. We concluded that decreased lipid peroxide levels in microsomes could be a consequence of increased GSH-Px and GST enzyme activities. In this way, these glutathione-related defence enzyme systems may play an important role in protecting microsomes from lipid peroxidation.