Vitamin E, diethylmaleate and bromotrichloromethane interactions in oxidative damage in vivo

Abstract In vivo interactions of vitamin E with diethylmaleate (DEM) and bromotrichloromethane (CBrCl 3 ) were examined in rat fed a diet either without vitamin E or supplemented with 30 IU dl-α-tocopheryl acetate/kg. Groups of rats within each dietary group were given two injections 30 min apart. One group received two injections of the mineral oil carrier. The other groups were injected with either DEM and mineral oil, mineral oil and CGrCl 3 , or DEM and CBrCl 3 . The rats were killed 10 min after the second injection. Measurements were made of hepatic GSH, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) as a lipid peroxidation index, and 11 enzymes as potential markers of oxidant damage. Special focus was placed on reactive cysteine-containing aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Although dietary vitamin E protected ALDH, the enzyme was highly susceptible to oxidant damage. ALDH activity was correlated with GSH ( r = 0.83, p r = 0.78, p