RESTORATION BY PIROXICAM OF LIVER GLUTATHIONE LEVELS DECREASED BY ACUTE ETHANOL INTOXICATION

The effect of piroxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, on blo od ethanol and on triacylglycerols, malondialdehyde and glutathione le vels in liver of fed rats acutely intoxicated with ethanol was studied . As previously reported for fasted rats, piroxicam in fed rats decrea ses the concentration of ethanol in blood and inhibits the hepatic inc rease of triacylglycerols and malondialdehyde consequent to ethanol ad ministration. In addition, the hepatic depletion of reduced and reduce d plus oxidized glutathione observed 8 and 12h after gavage of ethanol was reversed when piroxicam was administered simultaneously with etha nol. The importance of the finding is discussed in light of the paramo unt participation of glutathione during the cellular oxidative stress.