Determination of Reduced Glutathion, Glutathione-S-Transferase and Selenium Levels in Goose Liver Cells with Damage Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride and Ethanol

The pathological effects of different doses of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) on reduced glutathione (GSH) and selenium (Se) levels, and on glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in the livers of geese were examined and compared. The experiments were carried out on 3-week-old clinically healthy geese (Anser anser) weighing 200 250 g (40 animals), divided into control and experimental groups of 10 animals each. Group I was the control group; groups II and III were given 1 ml/kg CCl4 and 1.5 ml/kg body weight (bw) CCl4, respectively; and group IV was given 5 ml/kg bw 50% ethanol. The treatment was administered orally 3 times a week for12 weeks. The levels of reduced glutathione in the treated groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). Glutathione S-transferase activity and selenium were significantly lower in groups II, III and IV than they were in the control group (P < 0.01). In clinical examinations carried out on the groups dosed with CCl4 and ethyl alcohol, loss of appetite, diarrhea, coordination defect, difficulty in walking, collapsing of the wings, and torticollis were observed. Under microscopic examination, hydropic and fat degeneration and necrosis formed by cellular infiltration of the liver were observed and radiography revealed that the skeletal system was completely deformed and the bones were twisted in parts.