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Abstract
Ethoxyquin (6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline, EQ) is an antioxidant used
as a preservative in animal and human foods. In a previous work, we demonstrated that
EQ induces an inhibition of renal secretory mechanisms that are dependent on metabolic
energy; EQ inhibits renal ATPases. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of
EQ on the metabolic pathways of renal and hepatic rat cells, as well as on mitochondrial
and submitochondrial particles isolated from bovine heart and kidney. EQ induced a
mild inhibition of oxygen uptake when it was added to whole homogenates of rat renal
cortex in the presence of glucose. In contrast, a strong concentration-dependent inhibition
was produced when EQ was added to preparations of intact liver mitochondria or to
submitochondrial particles isolated from renal cortex. In the presence of NADH, 90%
inhibition was attained at a final concentration of 1 mM EQ. The direct inhibitory
effect of EQ on NADH dehydrogenase was a most relevant finding, since no inhibitor
for the partial reaction of NADH-ferricyanide on this complex has been reported previously.