Studies have been conducted to examine the feasibility of preventing oxyradical-dependent oxidative stress to mouse lens in culture, using pyruvate as an antioxidant. The extent of oxidative damage to the tissue was assessed by measurement of the status of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase dependent active transport of rubidium 86Rb(+). The tissue levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glutathione (GSH), malonaldehyde (MDA) and catalase were also determined. While the measurement of 86Rb(+) uptake provides an assessment of the integrity of the primary active transport system, measurement of the other components reflects the status of intracellular oxidative stress. ATP measurement also reflected on the overall status of metabolic integrity. Incubation of the lens with xanthine (XA)/xanthine oxidase (XO) system had an adverse effect on all these parameters. Incorporation of pyruvate was strikingly protective. The protective effect of pyruvate is apparently due to its ability to scavenge ROS generated in the medium with the possibility of its action on tissue metabolism as well. The findings are hence considered useful for further studies on the prevention of oxidative stress to tissues by exogenous supplementation with pyruvate, specially the human lens where the biochemistry of its antioxidant mechanisms is similar to the mouse lens, contrary to the rat lens.