If injected intravenously 2 hr before the drug, a dose of more than 175 mg/kg body weight glutathione (0.57 mmol/kg) protected male mice from acute liver necrosis induced by intraperitoneal administration of 400 mg/kg (2.65 mmol/kg) paracetamol. Soluble glutathione yielded a limited, and liposomally entrapped glutathione an optimal dose-dependent protective effect against drug-induced lipid peroxidation (as measured by in vivo ethane exhalation) liver necrosis (assessed by serum transaminases) and hepatic glutathione depletion (determined post mortem). N-Acetylcysteine solution had no effect in this model.