Evidence for oxidative stress in the hepatic mitochondria of bile duct ligated rats

Lipid peroxidation increased both in the liver homogenates and in the hepatic mitochondrial fraction of bile duct ligated (BDL)-rats. Although mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity did not change in the liver, glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity decreased in hepatic mitochondrial fraction of BDL-rats as compared to sham-operated rats. In addition, GSH-Px and glutathione transferase (GST) activities decreased but SOD activity remained unchanged in the post-mitochondrial fraction of the liver from BDL-rats. However, erythrocyte lipid peroxide and GSH levels did not change in BDL-rats. In conclusion, our results show that the disturbance of oxidant-antioxidant balance especially in mitochondria may be responsible for cholestatic injury in BDL-rats. (C) 1997 The Italian Pharmacological Society.