[Effect of persistent pollutants on the rat liver antioxidant status]

The hepatic antioxidant status was studied in the rats poisoned by a Sovol mixture of polychlorobiphenyls in different doses. Exposure to the toxic agent in a dose of 600 mg/kg leads to the accumulation of peroxidation products, the drop of reduced gluthatione, NADPH and the suppressed activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase. The findings suggest that severe oxidant stress develops in liver tissue, which may be one of the leading mechanisms responsible for the toxicity of biphenyls.