Restoration by piroxicam of liver glutathione levels decreased by acute ethanol intoxication.

The effect of piroxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, on blood ethanol and on triacylglycerols, malondialdehyde and glutathione levels in liver of fed rats acutely intoxicated with ethanol was studied. As previously reported for fasted rats, piroxicam in fed rats decreases the concentration of ethanol in blood and inhibits the hepatic increase of triacylglycerols and malondialdehyde consequent to ethanol administration. In addition, the hepatic depletion of reduced and reduced plus oxidized glutathione observed 8 and 12h after gavage of ethanol was reversed when piroxicam was administered simultaneously with ethanol. The importance of the finding is discussed in light of the paramount participation of glutathione during the cellular oxidative stress.