Liver and colon pro- and anti-oxidant enzyme activities in rats after long-term ethylnitrosourea exposure

Liver and colon pro- and anti-oxidant enzyme activities were investigated in rats treated with ethylnitrosourea (ENU) (i.p.) (4 mg/kg body wt) for 6 months. The pro-oxidant enzymes (NADPH cytochrome c reductase, NADH cytochrome c reductase, NADH cytochrome b5 reductase and cytochrome P-4502E1and the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) exhibited significantly increased activity in liver and colon. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) showed enhanced activity in liver, but decreased activity in colon. Glutathione peroxidase (GP) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities were significantly increased in colon, but decreased in liver. Catalase (CAT) activity while showed a significant increase in liver, exhibited only marginal increase in colon. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly elevated in both tissues.