[Effect of a sublethal dose of sodium nitrite on respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in the rat liver mitochondria].

A sublethal dose of sodium nitrates (60 mg/kg) 30 min after intraperitoneal administration to rats increases ADP-stimulated respiration, when succinate is used as the substrate. Its stimulating action is associated with an increase of efficiency of oxygen utilization. Intraperitoneal administration of succinic acid in a dose of 25 mg/kg normalizes changes induced by nitrites. Stress and hypoxic factors in the action of nitrites on aerobic processes in mitochondria are discussed.