The present study was performed to determine the influence of lipid peroxidation and perturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis on liver damage induced by 2-chloro-1, 3-butadiene (CBD) and the protective effects of vitamin E in Wistar rats. Animals were given intraperitoneally different doses (8,40 or 200 mg·kg-1 daily) of CBD for 21 days, and the following dose-dependent events were observed: liver damage, significant increase in liver lipid peroxides, and decreases in activities of erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The pretreatment of rats with vitamin E (po 150 mg·kg-1) before administering CBD (iP 60 mg·kg-1 ) daily for 21 days prevented the following CBD-induced changes, the increase in serum cholylglycine (CG), hepatic LP, hepatic mitochondrion LP, hepatic oxidized glutathione (GSSG) (while the significant increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) was not affected) and the decrease in activities of erythrocytic SOD and hepatic mitochondrial calcium sequestration. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation and perturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis appear to contribute to the hepatotoxicity of CBD, and vitamin E might prevent the liver damage induced by CBD. The decrease in activities of GSH-Px and SOD in erythrocytes might be used as biomarkers for adverse effects of CBD on defense system against lipid peroxidation. The present study was performed to determine the influence of lipid peroxidation and perturbance of Ca2 + homeostasis on liver damage induced by 2-chloro-1, 3-butadiene (CBD) and the protective effects of vitamin E in Wistar rats. Animals were given intraperitoneally different doses (8, 40 or 200 mg · kg -1 daily) of CBD for 21 days, and the following dose-dependent events were observed: liver damage, significant increase in liver lipid peroxides, and decreases in activities of erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase -Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The pretreatment of rats with vitamin E (po 150 mg · kg -1) before administering CBD (iP 60 mg · kg -1) daily for 21 days prevented the following CBD-induced changes, the increase in serum cholylglycine (CG), hepatic LP, hepatic mitochondrial LP, hepatic oxidized glutathione (GSSG) (while the significant increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) was not affected) and the decrease in activities of erythrocytic SOD and hepatic mitochondrial calcium sequestration. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation and perturbance of Ca2 + homeostasis appear to contribute to the hepatotoxicity of CBD, and vitamin E might prevent the liver damage induced by CBD. The decrease in activities of GSH-Px and SOD in erythrocytes might be used as biomarkers for adverse effects of CBD on defense system against lipid peroxidation.