The influence of different kinds of dietary fat (8%) and of endogenous lipid peroxidation with regard to cytochrome c oxidase activity and cytochrome a + a3 concentrations in mitochondria from rat liver has been investigated. It was possible to confirm that the dietary fat induced higher phospholipid degradation in mitochondrial membranes; moreover an endogenous oxidative stress induced by adriamycin was able to increase the peroxidative effects. We have found that the peroxidative effects could sometimes induce an apparent enhancement of cytochrome oxidase activity due to a significant increase of cytochrome a + a3 content. This finding lets us suppose that both changes in the lipid environment and some peroxidation damage could occur in the membrane as a consequence of the fat assumed. Furthermore we should suggest that an induction of the synthesis of cytochrome a + a3 might be related to an enhanced production of peroxides at membrane level.