ALTERATIONS IN SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE ACTIVITIES, LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND GLUTATHIONE LEVELS IN THINNER INHALED RAT LUNGS - RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HISTOPATHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Paint thinner has widespread use in industry. The use of thinner among children as a narcotic agent has become a social and health problem. There is some evidence that organic solvents may express their toxicit y by the way of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced cell damage. ROS has been shown to induce lipid peroxidation in biological membranes. This study examined peroxidative and histopathological changes in the rat lung, during 5 weeks of thinner inhalation. Significant increases were found in lipid peroxidation (MDA + 4-DHA) levels related to the d uration of inhalation. As opposed to increases in the lipid peroxidati on levels, significant decreases in superoxide dismutase activities an d glutathione levels were observed from the third inhalation week to t he end of the fifth week. At the beginning of the inhalation slight in flammatory changes, intraalveolar and interstitial extravasation and o edema in lung parenchyma were noted. As the inhalation period extended , chronic inflammatory changes, alveolar epithelial proliferation, col lapse, emphysematous changes and interstitial fibrosis in lung were de tected. (C) 1998 The Italian Pharmacological Society.