Isolated perfused livers from fasted, but not from fed rats showed hepatotoxic responses when subjected to 30 min of hypoxia followed by 60 min of reoxygenation. Toxicity was evident by a release of glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and glutathione into the perfusate, by a depletion of hepatic glutathione and by an accumulation of calcium in the liver. This indicates, that the liver is resistant to hypoxic injury as long as glycogen is present to maintain anaerobic ATP-synthesis. This is substantiated by the fact that addition of fructose--but not glucose--to the medium resulted in a protection of the liver against hypoxic injury concomitant with its degradation to lactate + pyruvate. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, desferrioxamine and allopurinol prevented hypoxic liver injury suggesting a substantial role of reactive oxygen species formed via the xanthine oxidase reaction in mediating hypoxic liver injury.