Effects of oltipraz, BHA, ADT and cabbage on glutathione metabolism, DNA damage and lipid peroxidation in old mice.

Eighteen-month-old female mice were fed defined diets for 2 weeks which contained 0.05% or 0.10% oltipraz, 0.10% anethole dithione (ADT), 0.10% butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) or 20% lyophilized cabbage. All diets resulted in significant increases in hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH) content. Glutathione reductase and glutathione S-transferase activities were also significantly higher than the control values. All diets produced significant decreases in hepatic DNA damage (single strand breaks) and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde content). In general, similar effects were produced by the two dithiolthiones, oltipraz and ADT. More pronounced effects were produced by oltipraz and ADT than by BHA or cabbage in the diet. Diets high in antioxidants may be effective in retarding free radical reaction processes associated with aging and cancer.