Effects of phenobarbital on lipid peroxidation in vitamin-E-deficient rats.

Increased serum lipid peroxide (LPO) and decreased vitamin E (VE) levels have been reported in epileptic children after long-term anticonvulsant therapy. The present study was designed to examine the acute effects of phenobarbital (PB) on lipid peroxidation in VE deficient rats. Five-day treatment with PB (75 mg/kg/day, IP) caused a significant increase in liver LPO levels (P less than 0.01), a decrease in plasma LPO levels (P less than 0.02), and a significant decrease in liver VE levels (P less than 0.05). It is suggested that PB plays an important role in lipid peroxidation in the liver by interfering with VE metabolism.