Peroxidative status and glutathione content of the brain in normal weight and intra-uterine growth-retarded newborn piglets.

The peroxidative and glutathione status as well as the production of reactive oxygen species were studied in the brain of normal weight (NW) and intra-uterine growth-retarded (IUGR) newborn piglets. In NW as well as IUGR newborn piglets reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, lipid peroxides, iron stimulated lipid peroxidation, H2O2 production and lucigenin and luminol amplified chemiluminescence are very similar in the different brain regions, with one exception. In the cerebellum, higher GSH concentration, higher superoxide anion generation, lower levels of lipid peroxides and a tendency toward a lower capacity of H2O2 production were seen. But the intra-uterine growth retardation to body weights of half the average body weights of the respective litter did not influence the peroxidative status and the GSH/GSSG equilibrium in the brain of newborn piglets.