In vivo effect of free radical scavenger hepatoprotective agents on superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in patients.

The in vivo effects of two hepatoprotective antioxidants (silymarin, and 4-amino-5-imidazole-carboxamide-phosphate) on the expression and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme were studied in erythrocytes from patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. In vivo treatment with any of the drugs markedly increased the SOD expression of lymphocytes as measured by flow-cytofluorimetry following staining with monoclonal anti-Cu, Zn-SOD-antibody and FITC-conjugated anti-mouse Ig, as well as erythrocyte and lymphocyte SOD activities. The data indirectly suggest that antioxidant activity might be one of the important factors in the hepatoprotective action of these agents.