Effect of 4-methylpyrazole on antioxidant enzyme status and lipid peroxidation in the liver of rats after exposure to ethylene glycol and ethyl alcohol.

BACKGROUND The aim of the conducted studies was to evaluate the effect of 4-methylpyrazole, increasingly used in detoxifying treatments after ethylene glycol poisoning, on the activity of some antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation formation in the liver of rats after experimental co-exposure to ethylene glycol and ethyl alcohol. METHODS The trials were conducted on adult male Wistar rats. Ethylene glycol (EG) at the dose of 3.83 g/kg bw and ethyl alcohol (EA) at the dose of 1 g/kg bw were administered po, and 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP) at the dose of 0.01 g/kg bw was administered ip. Parameters of antioxidant balance were evaluated in hepatic cytosol, including the activity of the following enzymes: glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and lipid peroxidation level (TBARS). RESULTS The results suggest that evaluation of the effects of administrated 4-MP after co-exposure to EG and EA in the liver revealed statistically significant changes on antioxidant enzyme system and malondialdehyde formation. CONCLUSION The changes in biomarkers activity indicate a greater production of free radicals which exceeds the capability of antioxidant system, appearing with oxidative stress in the group of animals treated by 4-MP combined with EG and EA.