Effects of 1,2-dibromoethane on glutathione metabolism in rat liver and kidney.

There are few reports of the effects of glutathione-depleting agents administered for periods longer than 24 hr on the turnover of glutathione (GSH) in mammalian tissues. Studies of such effects are important in relation to the protection of tissues from damage from, for example, reactive metabolites derived from xenobiotics. In the investigation described here, 1,2-dibromoethane dibromide)-a widely used insecticide, nematocide, fungicide and petrol additive, which is hepato- and nephrotoxic-was administered to rats and the effects on non-protein thiol contents and GSH-related enzyme activities were determined in liver and kidney. The classical GSH-depleter diethylmaleate was used in parallel studies for comparative purposes.