To examine the effects of ceftiofur sodium liposomes on the free radical formation in liver of mice, 24 mice were assigned randomly into three groups, i.e., 1) ceftiofur sodium; 2) ceftiofur sodium liposomes and 3) physiological saline. Treatments were applied via intraperitoneal injections for 7 days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were euthanized and liver collected for analysis of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and the ability of liver tissue to suppress hydroxyl radical formation. Ceftifur sodium liposomes-treated mice had higher activity of SOD than ceftiofur sodium- and saline-treated mice; however, MDA content and the ability of liver tissue to suppress hydroxyl radical formation did not reach statistical significance among groups. It was concluded that ceftiofur sodium liposomes can improve the SOD activity compared to ceftiofur alone in mice.

Key words: Hydroxyl radical, Liposomes, Malondialdehyde, Superoxide dismutase