Optimization of the Glutathione Detection by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection in the Brain and Liver of Rats Fed with Taurine

Abstract

Taurine exhibits many positive effects on organism, such as induction of important protective biochemical mechanisms and antioxidant effects. In this work, we studied the effect of taurine consumption on levels of taurine, reduced glutathione (GSH) and metallothionein in liver and brain tissues of Wistar rats. The aim of the experiment was the monitoring of changes in concentration of taurine in brain and liver tissues and also changes in concentration of GSH and metallothionein. After optimization, the limit of detection of GSH in brain and liver tissue was established as 40 nmolg-1 of protein and 90 nmol.g-1 of protein, respectively. That is sufficient for determination of the concentration alterations of GSH in studied tissues. The consumption of taurine increased content of GSH determined in the brain and liver (increased by approximately 0.8 mmolg-1 of protein in comparison with control). The increase of concentration of taurine occurred only in the brain, by cca 50 μg.g-1 of tissue, regardless the applied concentration of taurine. The applied concentration of taurine had no effect on concentration of metallothionein in any of the examined tissue.