A rat model of D-galactosamine-induced (0.3 g/kg) liver damage is used to study antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing activity of sodium selenite, vitamin E, and their combination (administered per os, daily, for 3 days before intoxication). It is shown that sodium selenite is 300-fold more effective than vitamin E, while their combination exhibits synergism and potentiation of the antioxidant and membrane-stabilizing activities, underlying inhibition of hepatoeyte cytolysis.Key Words: sodium selenite; vitamin E; D-galactosanime hydrochloride; liver; cytolysis Modern pharmacotherapy of various acute and chronic diseases includes both etiotropic and pathogenetic agents. The latter are directed toward elimination of the main cause of liver damage --destabilization of hepatocyte membranes, which depends on activation of lipid peroxidation (LPO). Acceleration of LPO leads to structural disturbances of lipid bilayer due to predominant oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. This results in dissociation and deactivation of membranebound enzymes, oxidation of SH-groups of transmembrane proteins, and complexation between proteins and oxidized lipids, which promotes polymerization of protein molecules [1,[3][4][5]. These pathological processes destroy subcellular and plasma membranes of hepatocytes [10]. Membrane-stabilizing agents with antioxidant activity prevent or restrict these pathological processes. In the present study we explored the poss~ility of using the antioxidants sodium selenite, vitamin E, and their combination for correction of hepatocyte membrane permeability in animals treated with the selective hepatotoxin D-galactosamine hydrochloride (D-GA). MATERIALS AND METHODSExperiments were carded out on 160 random-bred albino rats of both sexes (150-230 g). Acute hepatic failure was modeled with a single intraperitoneal injection of D-GA in a dose of 0.3 g/kg. The animals were treated with antioxidants (vitamin E, sodium selenite, and their combination) for 3 clays before D-GA injection. Vitamin E and sodium selenite were administered in therapeutic doses as oil and aqueous solution, respectively.The intensity of LPO was evaluated by measuring the content of primary (conjugated dienes, CD) and secondary (malonic dialdehyde, MDA) LPO products in liver homogenates [7,8] 30 min, 4, 14, 20, 24, 72 h, and 5-7 days after D-GA injection.At the same times, the disturbances of hepatocyte membrane permeability were assessed by serum activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase

Magnetic storm modulates morphological and functional state of the heart and the related systems. Changes in cardiomyocyte ultrastructure induced by changes in geomagnetic activity were studied in experiments on rabbits. We describe a possible mechanism underlying changes in cardiac activity in intact animals induced by geomagnetic perturbations. The most pronounced alterations of cardiomyocyte ultrastructure were observed during the major phase of magnetic storm.