ABSTRACT
Peroxidation of lipids has traditionally been thought to be a major effect of free radicals. Interest in the natural peroxidation of unsatured fatty acids was initially generated in the study of rancidity of fats and oils. Lipid peroxidation has subsequently been implicated as the molecular mechanism in a diverse range of cellular insults. Colchicine has also shown a good hepatoprotective effect on acetaminophen-induced liver damage. If naproxen induces lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes with such defense systems, it could be a possible mechanism of the naproxen-induced hepatotoxicity. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used over long-term periods in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. Some general characteristics would be required if lipid peroxidation were to have a causal role in the cytotoxicity of a chemical agent or pathological condition. Many in vivo and in vitro studies have shown the effect of lipid peroxidation in halothane-induced liver injury.
