The effect of pretreatment with vitamin E on the effects of endotoxin in rat

Twenty male rats weighing about 100g were treated subcutaneously with 25 mg alpha-tocopherol acetate. The rats were given 0.4 mg/100 g endotoxin intraperitoneally 24 hrs after the pretreatment, and were sacrificed 18 hrs after the endotoxin injection. The lipid peroxide level as evaluated by the TBA-value remained at the no-treatment level. In a similar group of rats not pretreated but given the same dose of endotoxin intraperitoneally, the TBA-value rose significantly. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean plasma ALAT and OCT activities or in the mean liver or plasma Zn concentrations between the endotoxin treated groups. The plasma OCT and ALAT activities were significantly correlated with the liver TBA-values in both endotoxin-treated groups but the plasma Zn and OCT, or plasma Zn and ALAT were significantly correlated only in the group pretreated with vitamin E. In a control group of 20 animals not treated with either endotoxin or vitamin E the plasma Zn and vitamin E concentrations were statistically significantly (P less than 0.05) correlated. It is suggested that the endotoxin effect on the liver is probably mediated by prostaglandin-like substances.