High dosage of fructose induces insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and alterations in plasma lipid profile in normal rats. Recently, it has been shown that these rats also develop oxidative stress, which plays a prominent role in diabetic pathology. We now report the effect of taurine on the susceptibility of the aorta to lipid peroxidation and also on the activities of enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in rats fed a high fructose-diet for 4 weeks. Fructose-fed rats were more susceptible to lipid peroxidation as measured by thiobarbituric acid reactivity, and antioxidant status was significantly lower. Taurine supplementation caused a significant reduction in the production of thiobarbituric acid--reactive substances and significant rises in antioxidant enzyme activities. The levels of lipid peroxides, diene conjugates, lipofuscin and hydroperoxides were significantly higher in fructose-fed rats. When these rats received taurine in drinking water, no peroxidative changes were observed. Increased aorta lipid peroxidation could play a role in the pathology associated with fructose-feeding, and taurine reduces the lipid peroxidation by inducing antioxidant enzymes.