Objective   To determine if SO₂ increases levels of lipid peroxidation and alters intr acellular redox status in multiple organs of mice; if SO₂ is a systemic toxin.

  Methods   The effect of SO₂ on levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS)and GSH, and activities of SOD, GPx, and CAT were investigated in 9 organs(brain, lung, heart, liver, stomach, intestine, spleen, kidney, and testis)of Kunming albinomice of both sexes.SO₂(56 mg/m³)was administrated to the animals of SO₂ groups in an exposure chamber for 6 h/day×7 days.While control groups were exposed to filtered air in the same condition.

  Results   SO₂ inhalation decr eased significantly activities of SOD and GPx in all organs tested, with respect to their corresponding control groups.CAT activities in all organs tested of both sexual mice were significantly unaltered, except CAT activities in livers were significantly lowered by SO₂.SO₂ exposure decreased significantly GSH contents and significantly increased TBARS levels of all org ans tested, in comparison with their respective control groups.There was the gender difference in oxidative stress and antiox idation status to cause SO₂ exposure.

  Conclusion   SO₂ exposure can caused oxidative damage to all tested organs of mice.SO₂ was a systemic toxin, not only to respiratory system.Fur ther work was required to understand the toxicological role of SO₂ in multiply or even all organs in mammals.