Ethanol induced changes in lipid peroxidation and nonprotein sulfhydryl content. Different sensitivities in rat liver and kidney.

Acute ethanol ingestion (5 g/Kg) led to an acceleration of lipid peroxidation and reduction in non-proteinic free sulfhydryl (NPFSH) levels in the rat liver and kidney. In the liver, progressive changes of these phenomena were inversely related, and maximal effects were observed 6 hr after ethanol ingestion. Unlike the liver, in the kidney, there was a rapid fall in NPFSH content followed by constantly reduced levels during ethanol intoxication, whereas acceleration of lipid peroxidation was detected only after 6-8 hr of ethanol. In addition, a lower dose (2 g/Kg) which caused no significant change in the liver, was effective in reducing renal NPFSH, but not in enhancing lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that acceleration of lipid peroxidation may not be required for the NPFSH decrease, at least in case of kidney.