EARLY BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES IN KEROSENE EXPOSED RAT LUNGS

The activities of enzymes, which detoxify oxygen free radical species directly or indirectly were studied in lungs of kerosene-treated rats after 1,4,8 and 16 days of exposure. In the kerosene-exposed animals, activities of glutathione peroxidase (GP), glutathione reductase (GR), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST) were significantly increased; thiobarbituric acid (TBA) - reacting products of lipid peroxidation and reduced glutathione (GSH) content were also significantly increased in the lungs. The increase in reduced glutathione content and elevations in the activities of enzymes and products of lipid peroxidation are suggestive of oxidative stress in the lungs of kerosene exposed animals.