Ascorbic acid (AA) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound with antioxidant properties used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products. In this study, the effect of AA on ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats has been examined. Fe-NTA alone enhances ornithine decarboxylase activity to 4.5-fold and tritiated thymidine incorporation in DNA to 3.6-fold in livers compared with the corresponding saline-treated controls. The enhanced ornithine decarboxylase activity and DNA synthesis showed a reduction to 3.02- and 1.88-fold, respectively, at a higher dose of 2 mg AA per day per animal, compared with the Fe-NTA-treated groups. Fe-NTA treatment also enhanced the hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation to 1.7-fold compared to saline-treated controls. These changes were reversed significantly in animals receiving pretreatment of AA. The present data shows that AA can reciprocate the toxic effects of Fe-NTA and can serve as a potent chemopreventive agent to suppress oxidant-induced tissue injury and hepatotoxicity in rats.
Cigarette smoking is associated with sexual dysfunction and impaired fertility in males. The aim of this study was to determine the potential protective effect of honey against the toxic effect of cigarette smoke (CS) on sexual behavior and fertility of male rats. Thirty-two adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (8 rats/group) as control, honey (H), CS and H plus CS (H + CS) groups. Rats in control and CS groups received oral administration of distilled water daily while rats in H and H + CS groups received honey (1.2 g/kg body weight/day) by oral gavage. Rats in CS and H + CS groups were also exposed to CS for 8 min 3 times/day. From 10 to 13 weeks of treatment, each male rat was cohabited with 3 untreated female rats for sexual behavioral and reproductive performance studies. Honey significantly increased the percentages of rats achieving intromission and ejaculation as well as increased mating and fertility indexes of male rats exposed to CS. Thus, honey has a protective effect against CS-induced impaired sexual behavior and fertility in male rats.
The genotoxic effects of increasing concentrations (below lethal concentration [LC₅₀]) of cadmium ([Cd] 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/L), copper ([Cu] 0.2, 2 and 20 mg/L) and zinc ([Zn] 0.5, 5 and 50 mg/L) on Chironomus kiiensis were evaluated using alkaline comet assay after exposure for 24 h. Both the tail moment and the olive tail moment showed significant differences between the control and different concentrations of Cd, Cu and Zn (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.05). The highest concentration of Cd was associated with higher DNA damage to C. kiiensis larvae compared with Cu and Zn. The potential genotoxicity of these metals to C. kiiensis was Cd > Cu > Zn.
Fourth instars larvae of freshwater midge Chironomus javanus (Diptera, Chironomidae) were exposed for a 4-day period in laboratory conditions to a range of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mn) concentrations. Mortality was assessed and median lethal concentrations (LC(50)) were calculated. LC(50) increased with the decrease in mean exposure times, for all metals. LC(50)s for 96 hours for Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Al and Mn were 0.17, 0.06, 5.57, 0.72, 5.32, 0.62, 1.43 and 5.27 mg/L, respectively. Metals bioconcentration in C. javanus increases with exposure to increasing concentrations and Cd was the most toxic to C. javanus, followed by Cu, Fe, Pb, Al, Mn, Zn and Ni (Cd > Cu > Fe > Pb > Al > Mn > Zn > Ni). Comparison of LC(50) values for metals for this species with those for other freshwater midges reveals that C. javanus is equally or more sensitive to metals than most other tested dipteran.
Adult Macrobrachium lanchesteri were exposed for a 4-day period in laboratory conditions to a range of copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) concentrations. Mortality was assessed and median lethal times (LT₅₀) and concentrations (LC₅₀) were calculated. At the end of the 4-day period, live prawns were used to determine bioconcentration of the metals. LT₅₀ and LC₅₀ increased with the decrease in mean exposure concentrations and times, respectively, for all metals. LC₅₀s for 96 hours for Cu, Cd, Zn and Pb were 32.3, 7.0, 525.1 and 35.0 µg/L, respectively. Cu, Cd, Zn and Pb bioconcentration in M. lanchesteri increases with exposure to increasing concentrations and Cd was the most toxic to M. lanchesteri, followed by Pb, Cu and Zn. Comparison of LC₅₀ values for metals for this species with those for other freshwater crustacean organisms reveals that M. lanchesteri is equally or more sensitive to heavy metals than most other tested crustaceans.
Two freshwater fish, Rasbora sumatrana (Cyprinidae) and Poecilia reticulata (guppy; Poeciliidae), were exposed to a range of eight heavy metals (copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), aluminium (Al), and manganese (Mn)) at varied concentrations for 96 h in the laboratory. Mortality was assessed and median lethal concentrations (LC50) were calculated. It was observed that the LC50 values increased with a decrease in mean exposure times, for all metals and for both fish types. The 96-h LC50 values for Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Fe, Al, and Mn were 0.006, 0.10, 0.46, 0.63, 0.83, 1.71, 1.53, and 5.71 mg/L for R. sumatrana and 0.038, 0.17, 1.06, 1.99, 15.62, 1.46, 6.76, and 23.91 mg/L for P. reticulata, respectively. The metal toxicity trend for R. sumatrana and P. reticulata from most to least toxic was Cu > Cd > Zn > Pb > Ni > Al > Fe > Mn and Cu > Cd > Zn > Fe > Pb > Al > Ni > Mn, respectively. Results indicated that Cu was the most toxic metal on both fish, and R. sumatrana was more sensitive than P. reticulata to all the eight metals.
Ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) is a known renal carcinogen and has been shown to adversely induce oxidative stress and tissue toxicity after both acute and chronic exposure. Present studies were designed to study the hepatoprotective and antioxidant potential of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a phenolic antioxidant used in foods on ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe-NTA) induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Male albino rats of Wistar strain (4-6 weeks old) weighing 125-150 g were used in this study. Animals were given a single dose of Fe-NTA (9 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal) after a week's treatment with BHA. BHA was administered orally once daily for 7 days at doses of 1 and 2 mg/animal/day. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters as serum transaminases (alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST)) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Fe-NTA treatment increased ALT, AST, and LDH levels significantly when compared to the corresponding saline-treated group (p < 0.001). Fe-NTA also depleted the levels of glutathione and the activities of antioxidant enzymes namely glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-tranferase (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with BHA significantly decreased ALT, AST and LDH levels in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). BHA also increased antioxidant enzymes level and decreased lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide generation to 1.3-1.5-fold as compared to Fe-NTA-treated group. The results show the strong hepatoprotective activity of BHA which could be due to its potent antioxidant effects.