[Antitoxic system of the small intestine and liver in rats exposed to cholera enterotoxin]

The effect of cholera enterotoxin on glutathione-S-transferase (GT), glutathione peroxidase (GP) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in cytosols of the rat small intestinal mucosa and liver was studied in an experimental ligated jejunal loop. It was found that changes in the detoxication enzymatic activity were phasic in nature in both the mucous membrane of all parts of the small intestine and in the liver: the decrease within the first 30 min to 1 h was replaced by activation after 2 h followed by repeated fall 4 h after toxin administration. The time course of the activity of GT and GP in all the parts of the small intestinal mucosa and liver was marked by the same line of changes. SOD activity underwent dissimilar changes in different parts of the mucous membrane. The mechanisms and pathogenetic significance of the impairment of the small intestinal and liver detoxication system by cholera toxin are discussed.