Effect of glutathione depletion on selenium lethality and hepatic drug metabolism in male rats

Abstract Pretreatment of male rats with diethylmaleate (DEM) (3.1 mmol/kg) markedly decreased the levels of reduced glutathione in both liver (81%) and kidney (44%). Acute lethality produced by sodium selenite (0.4 to 2.4 mg Se/kg) was greatly enhanced in DEM-treated rats; however, no alterations in hepatic drug metabolism by selenium were observed.