Effects of BHA, d-alpha-tocopherol and retinol acetate on TCDD-mediated changes in lipid peroxidation, glutathione...

Daily treatment of female rats with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) protected against 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) toxicity. This protective effect was associated with reduced microsomal lipid peroxidation, increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity and decreased aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity. Retinol acetate (vitamin A) inhibited lipid peroxidation, elevated GSH-PX activity, and enhanced AHH activity. Thirty per cent of vitamin A-treated animals were alive 25 d after a lethal dose of TCDD. d-alpha-Tocopherol (vitamin E) inhibited markedly microsomal lipid peroxidation, enhanced AHH activity, and had no effect on GSH-PX activity. Only 10% of the vitamin E-treated animals were alive 25 d after a lethal dose of TCDD. The mechanism of TCDD toxicity may involve in part inhibition of GSH-PX activity with resultant lipid peroxidation by hydrogen peroxide.