Minor role of lipid peroxidation in acute bleomycin toxicity in rats

Bleomycin was injected i.p. in rats, and the amount of expired ethane which indicates lipid peroxidation was followed up for 78 h. Compared to controls neither 1 x 30 mg/kg and 2 x 30 mg/kg nor 1 x 70 mg/kg bleomycin led to increased ethane expiration, although body weight loss indicated toxicity. That pulmonary toxicity had been developed due to the acute bleomycin treatment could be demonstrated by histological examinations of lungs of the animals of the highest dosage group. The combined treatment of rats with bleomycin and ferrous ions neither resulted in an increase of ethane expired compared to that of the ferrous ion-treated animals. Rather a decrease was observed. Our results indicate that acute bleomycin toxicity is not associated with increased lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, our data suggest that the bleomycin-ferrous-complex does not initiate lipid peroxidation in vivo.