[The effect of reduced glutathione on the changes of lipid-peroxide concentration in shock states--clinical and experimental studies]

Lipoperoxide changes and the effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) on that were investigated in cardiopulmonary bypass and endotoxin shock states. In human cardiopulmonary bypass, 26 patients with congenital heart disease were studied and the following results were obtained. Serum lipoperoxide concentration in control group increased in 30 and 60 min after bypass. On the other hand, in the reduced glutathione pretreatment group (100 mg/kg), this change was not observed. In both groups, beta-glucuronidase activity had a tendency to increase after bypass, and it had a close correlation between serum lipoperoxide concentration and beta-glucuronidase activity. In endotoxin shock rats, the results were as follows. 3 hours after injection of endotoxin (10 mg/kg), hepatic lipoperoxide concentration increased and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity decreased, and hepatic Chemiluminescence counts had a tendency to increase. There was no significant change in serum lipoperoxide concentration after 3 hr, but a significant elevation was observed only after 6 hr. In the reduced glutathione pretreatment group (1,000 mg/kg), serum and hepatic lipoperoxide concentration, hepatic SOD activity, and hepatic Chemiluminescence counts were unchanged. These results suggest that lipoperoxide may increase in shock states and GSH administration may be useful to inhibit lipoperoxide formation.