INFLUENCE OF COMBINED USE OF SELENIOUS ACID AND SH COMPOUNDS IN PARENTERAL PREPARATIONS

The influence of the combined use of selenious acid and SH compounds ( glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (Cys), or ascorbic acid(Asc)) on cultur ed venous vascular endothelial cells was investigated experimentally. When cultured human umbilical venous vascular endothelial cells were e xposed to 10 CIM of selenious acid combined with 0.5 mM-GSH or 0.5 mM- Cys, the release rates of [H-3]-adenine and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH ) from cells into the medium increased significantly as compared with after exposure to selenious acid alone, and damage to the vascular end othelial cells was found to be intensified. Addition of 1 mu M of sele nious acid simultaneously with 0.5 mM-GSH or 0.5 mM-Cys showed no diff erences in toxicity for the vascular endothelial cells as compared wit h the addition of selenious acid alone. On the other hand, simultaneou s exposure to 10 mu M of selenious acid and I mM-Asc induced no signif icant differences in the release rates of [H-3]-adenine and LDH, and n o damage was observed to the vascular endothelial cells. These results suggest that simultaneous addition of selenious acid together with GS H or Cys, which have the SH-group, may cause damage to the vascular en dothelial cells. Therefore careful attention is warranted in total par enteral nutrition (TPN).