VITAMIN-C SUPPLEMENTATION ON HEPATIC OXIDATIVE STRESS-INDUCED BY CIGARETTE-SMOKE

A study has been conducted to investigate whether the oxidative damage produced in the liver of rats exposed to cigarette smoke can be effec tively combated with vitamin C, one of the antioxidant vitamins, We as sessed the liver antioxidants (vitamins E, C and A), scavenging enzyme s and lipid peroxide products of rats exposed to cigarette smoke and s imultaneously given vitamin C (200 mg 100 g(-1) body wt.) for 90 days, Malondialdehyde (MDA), conjugated dienes, hydroperoxides and free fat ty acids (FFA) were significantly increased in liver of smoke-exposed groups, The activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase and vitamin E and C contents were significantly lower than controls, But vitamin A , glutathione (GSH) content and glutathione peroxidase (GSH Pxase) act ivity were enhanced, Vitamin C supplementation to smoke-exposed rats s howed increased resistance to lipid peroxidation and increased activit y of scavenging enzymes, The GSH content, vitamin C and FFA were broug ht to normal levels, Thus, this study seems to suggest that an intake of a mega dose of vitamin C can protect the liver from oxidant damage caused by cigarette smoke, (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.