Increased lipid peroxidation in liver mitochondria from Mg-deficient rats

Feeding young rats an Mg-deficient diet for 4 weeks increased serum-Fe concentration from 38.2 to 43.7 mumol/L and non Hb-Fe content in liver from 6.33 to 9.31 mmol/kg dry weight. The increase in non Hb-Fe occurred in all liver cell fractions. In heart and kidney, Fe content was not significantly changed by Mg deficiency. Lipid peroxidation measured by formation of malondialdehyde was only increased in liver mitochondria from Mg-deficient rats. Therefore, an Mg-deficiency-induced increase in non Hb-Fe may be involved in the increased lipid peroxidation of liver mitochondria, but cannot represent a general mechanism in the toxicity of Mg deficiency.