MEASUREMENTS OF HEPATIC MALONDIALDEHYDE AND CONJUGATED DIENE CONCENTRATIONS IN 24-HOUR ENDOTOXEMIC RATS

The aim of our study was to analyze if intraperitoneally administered E-coli endotoxin (1-7 mg.kg-1) causes an increase in liver malondialde hyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes, 24 h postinjection. Blood glucose, w hite blood cell counts, liver edema and mortality were also measured. The results of our study show that there were no signs of increased MD A of diene production in the liver. To our surprise, blood leukocyte c ounts of the experimental groups were not statistically different from controls. In the endotoxemic animals there was a slight liver edema w hich, however, did not influence the measurements of the lipid peroxid ation metabolites. Blood glucose levels were decreased in the endotoxe mic animals. There was no mortality in our study, perhaps due to the f act that the rats were fed and not starved. We conclude that, in our s tudy, a bolus dose of endotoxin i.p. does not cause any signs of incre ased liver lipid peroxidation 24 h postinjection. The liver seems, how ever, to be affected with slight edema and low blood glucose levels.