Blood glutathione as a measure of exposure to toxic compounds.

Blood and liver glutathione levels were measured under the effect of an acute exposure to high doses of glutathione-depleting substances. Among direct-acting glutathione-depleting substances, diethyl maleate (0.3, 0.7 and 1.4 ml kg-1) caused a marked reduction of both blood and liver glutathione, whereas methyl iodide (320 mg kg-1) led to a decrease in liver glutathione stores immediately and in blood stores with a longer latency. Indirectly glutathione-depleting substances, like paracetamol (0.5-1.0 g kg-1) and styrene (250 mg kg-1), caused a reduction of liver glutathione, but not a similar reduction of blood glutathione. Blood glutathione is not a good measure of organ glutathione stores when dealing with indirect-acting glutathione-depleting substances.