Short-term dietary restriction modulates liver lipid peroxidation in carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats

We investigated whether dietary restriction (DR) can protect the liver against the acute toxicity of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Adult female Wistar rats received a quantum of diet representing 75 and 50 percent of the food intake of control rats fed ad libitum (25% and 50% daily regimen, respectively) for 30 days. A single dose of CCl4 (3 mL kg(-1) b.w.) was administered subcutaneously at the end of the feeding period. Lipid peroxidation, as thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, conjugated dienes, lipid hydroperoxides and the hepatic markers alanine transaminase, aspartic transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase were significantly decreased in food-restricted rats. The enzymic antioxidants superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and the non-enzymic antioxidant glutathione were significantly increased in both groups. The magnitude of liver damage after CCl4 treatment was lower in food-restricted animals than in ad libitum-fed animals. The results suggest that dietary restriction increases the resistance of the liver and protects against oxidative insult produced by an acute dose of CCl4.