LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN LIVER OF VITAMIN-B6 DEFICIENT RATS

Vitamin B-6 deficient diet fed rat showed increased lipid peroxidation reactions in liver when compared to that of control. Liver homogenate of vitamin B-6 deficient rats showed enhanced susceptibility to lipid peroxidation upon incubation with NADPH or ascorbate or t-butyl hydroperoxide. Vitamin B-6 deficient liver showed increased levels of lipids, oxalate, calcium, iron, and copper, and decreased levels of antioxidants, ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, reduced glutathione, total thiol groups, and antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Further, vitamin B-6 deficient liver showed enhanced level of hydroxyl radicals and hydroperoxides when compared to that of control liver. The decreased antioxidant protection against free radicals may have led to increased levels of hydroxyl radicals and hydroperoxides which in turn may have led to increased levels of diene conjugates, thiobarbutric acid reactive substances, and lipofuscin-like pigments in liver homogenate. These observations may be an indirect secondary effect of the general disruption of metabolism associated with vitamin B-6 deficiency.