Antioxidant defense mechanisms in the lung toxicity of tri-n-butyl phosphate

Pneumotoxic effects of the tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) are investigated on rats using biological markers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and studying key antioxidant enzymes in lung homogenate. Each animal from the experimental group received intratracheally 5 microliters TBP (20% v/v in n-dodecane). Six rats from the control and treated groups are sacrificed on post-treatment days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28. The lactate dehydrogenase activity, the total protein content and the total cell number in BALF are increased mainly on day 1 after the treatment. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase are decreased to day 7 and those of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase on day 1 only. The malondialdehyde content is elevated to day 14. It is concluded that TBP causes moderate toxic injury of the lung parenchyma. The depression of the key antioxidant enzymes and the elevated lipid peroxidation are probably important mechanisms of the lung damage.