Decreased antioxidant status and increased lipid peroxidation in rats after methanol intoxication

The liver is the main metabolic place where the methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and to formate. The aim of this paper was to study the liver antioxidant system in acute methanol intoxication, after 6, 12, 24 hours and 2, 5 and 7 days of alcohol administration into rats. In liver homogenates the superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and reductase glutathione activity and content of malondialydehyde (MDA), SH-compounds in protein and non-protein fraction and ascorbate were estimated. Activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase was significantly increased after 6 hours following methanol ingestion and persisted up to 2-5 days of intoxication. It was accompanied by significant decreased of reductase and peroxidase glutathione activities. The protein and non-protein SH-groups were significantly decreased during 6 hours to 5 days following methanol ingestion. The liver MDA content was considerably increased. After 2 days since methanol intoxication the liver vitamin C content was significantly decreased in comparison with the control group. The obtain results demonstrated that during methanol induced liver injury there are increase of lipid peroxidation and impairment of proantioxidant equilibrium in favour to prooxidant.