Decreased lipid peroxidation in the rat kidney during gestation

Renal malonaldehyde content and lipid peroxidation, induced by ascorbate, NADPH and cumene hydroperoxide, are significantly decreased during gestation in rats. Lipid peroxidation tends to reach normal levels in the kidney post partum. In the renal mitochondria lipid peroxidation without co-factors and that induced by cumene hydroperoxide, ascorbate and NADPH is decreased during pregnancy. However, in the microsomes, only lipid peroxidation induced by NADPH and cumene hydroperoxide is affected. The observed decrease in lipid peroxidation during gestation is reflected by low levels of total lipid and phospholipid. Endogenous inhibitors of lipid peroxidation also increase during pregnancy.