Reduced glutathione attenuates liver injury induced by methyl parathion in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether exogenous reduced glutathione (GSH) could protect liver injury induced by methyl parathion. Rats were allocated into four groups named as control, MP (methyl parathion poisoning), MP+GSH1 (methyl parathion poisoning treated with GSH 600 mg/kg), and MP+GSH2 (methyl parathion poisoning treated with GSH 1200 mg/kg). Each one of the last three groups was assigned into 6 h, 24 h, and 72 h sub-groups. The activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT), and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) in plasma, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in liver were assayed. The malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver was also determined. Histopathological changes in liver were observed. Results showed that AChE activity was significantly inhibited by methyl parathion and attenuated after GSH administered. GSH could relieve hepatocellular edema and fatty degeneration, and attenuate the increased activities of GPT and GOT. GSH treatment increased the SOD and GPx activities, but had no effect on the MDA level. These results indicated that GSH could attenuate liver injury induced by methyl parathion.

Keywords::

• Reduced glutathione
• organophosphate
• methyl parathion
• acute poisoning
• liver injury

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Yan Zhang for her technical assistance.