Acetyl-homocysteine thiolactone protects against some neurotoxic effects of thallium.

Groups of rats were administered thallous acetate 5 mg/kg or acetyl-homocysteine-thiolactone (citiolone) 8 mg/kg body weight, i.p. daily for 6 days. A third group of rats received the same doses of both thallium and citiolone for 6 days. Total sulfhydryl radicals and glutathione content were estimated in the cerebral hemisphere, cerebellum and brain stem. The results were analyzed using Student's t test and 'ANOVA'. Glutathione decreased in all the brain regions with the greatest loss in the brain stem. Total sulfhydryl (SH) radicals were significantly depleted only in cerebellum and brain stem. The reduction of total SH radicals did not occur when citiolone and thallium were administered concurrently. Glutathione levels were protected by citiolone but were not returned to control levels.