2-Methyl-thiazolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid protects against paracetamol induced toxicity in human liver derived HepG2 cells

The effects of 2-methyl-thiazolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (CP) on paracetamol-induced toxicity were investigated and evaluated in a human liver derived HepG2 cell line. Incubation of the cells with CP (2 mM and 10 mM) drastically attenuated the GSH and cysteine depletion caused by toxic concentrations of paracetamol (1 mM and 5 mM). When CP (10 mM) was introduced alone into the medium, the level of malondialdehyde and the reactive oxygen species were maintained at the control levels with a simultaneous increase of non-protein sulfhydryl in the cells. Thus, the results of our work prove that CP is a non-toxic precursor of cysteine and GSH, and successfully prevents paracetamol toxicity in HepG2 cells.