Formation of ethane in vitro by rat liver homogenates following glutathione depletion in vivo.

Depletion of hepatic glutathione (GSH) in rats by treatment with phorone (diisopropylidene acetone) in vivo led to a dramatic enhancement of spontaneous ethane production by liver post-mitochondrial fractions. Exogenous GSH added in vitro abolished this effect in a concentration-dependent manner. The same inhibitory action was seen with both dithiocarb or (+)-catechin. The concentrations yielding 50% inhibition (I50) were in the micromolar range for all three compounds.