Studies on the effect of peroxisomicine on catalase activity in albino mice.

Peroxisomicine is a toxic compound isolated from plants of the genus Karwinskia (Rhamnaceae). This toxin produces irreversible and selective damage to the peroxisomes of yeast cells in vivo. Peroxisomicine also inhibits catalase activity in vitro, when using purified enzyme. This paper reports on the effect of peroxisomicine on liver catalase in tissue fragments, in situ, as well as in mice intoxicated with peroxisomicine, in vivo. The catalase activity was determined by biochemical and histochemical methods. In contrast with the reported findings in vitro, the results demonstrate that there is no inhibition of the activity of tissue catalase, and suggest that catalase in situ and in vivo is protected against the inhibitory effect of peroxisomicine by an unknown factor.