Effects of 3-Amino-1,2,4-Triazole (AT) on Catalase and Other Compounds

¹ From the College of Agriculture, University of California, Los Angeles, California

Rat liver and kidney, but not blood, catalase activity decreases profoundly within the first 3 hours after the intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of AT. AT administered orally to mice causes a reduction of liver catalase activity. The liver and kidney catalase activity of rats returns to normal about 7 days after a single intraperitoneal injection. Liver cytochrome c content, hemoglobin level and urinary urobilinogen excretion are not affected by AT administration. Liver peroxidase activity is decreased slightly 3 hours after injection of AT but returns to normal within 24 hours. Prolonged AT administration has no effect on the growth rate of young rats. AT reduces the catalase activity of plant tissue homogenates, liver homogenates and crystalline catalase in vitro but only at high concentrations. AT causes a reduction of chlorophyll content and catalase activity of plants when administered in vivo but the relative effect against these two constituents varies with species, physiological state and concentration.