Role of xanthine oxidase in delayed lipid peroxidation in rat liver induced by acute exhausting exercise

The aim of this study was to examine whether xanthine oxidase (XOD)-derived hepatic oxidative damage occurs in the main not during but following stren uous exercise. The degree of damage to hepatic tissue catalyzed by XOD was investigated immediately and 3 h after a single bout of exhausting exercise , in allopurinol and saline injected female Wister rats. Allopurinol treatm ent resulted in increased hypoxanthine and decreased uric acid contents in the liver compared with the saline treated group, immediately and 3 h after the exercise. Analysis immediately after the exercise showed no changes in hepatic hypoxanthine, uric acid, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substanc e (TBARS) contents in the saline treated group, when compared with the rest ing controls. However, significant increases in uric acid contents in the s aline treated livers were observed 3 h after the exercise, relative to the controls. Hepatic TEARS content in the saline treated group were markedly g reater than those in both the control and allopurinol treated groups after 3 h of recovery following the exercise. It was concluded that a single bout of exhausting exercise may impose XOD-derived hepatic oxidative damage, pr imarily during the recovery phase after acute severe exercise.