Oxidative Stress and Oxidative Damage in Male Rat Erythrocytes Associated with Prolonged Exposure to Smoke Pollution

Albert Cosmas Achudume,Funso Aina

doi:10.4236/jep.2012.35051

Abstract

Exposure of animals to different duration of smoke can result in a wide range of adverse clinical conditions. Toxicological consequences arising from prolonged exposure may not be totally enumerated. The present study was to evaluate the oxidative stress-inducing potential of a short and long-time exposure of male rat erythrocytes to environmentally relevant to public health. Male Wistar rats were exposed to open municipal land-fill smoke for 30 and/or 60 days. The oxidative stress in erythrocytes was evaluated by assessing the magnitude of malondialdehyde production and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (C) and glutathione reductase (GR) after 30 and/or 60 days of exposure. After 30 days there was no change in SOD, catalase and GR activities and no alterations in GSH and lipid peroxidation (LPO). After 60 days, the levels and activities of SOD (23.62%), catalase (5.24%), GR (14.87%) decreased. Overall, the study demonstrates that the chronic exposure of male rats to smoke results in induction of oxidative stress and simultaneous reduction in antioxidative defense system in erythrocytes at 60 days of exposure.

Highlights

Many developed countries are confronted with the burden of air pollution and fire outrages on their forest reserves [1]
The main aim of the present study is to report on the baseline data of smoke pollution on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (C), glutathione reductase (GR) activities, glutathione and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels in wistar rats
Results presented demonstrate that exposure to smoke for 30 days do not affect the alterations of the oxidative stress-related endpoints in rat erythrocytes

Summary

Introduction

Many developed countries are confronted with the burden of air pollution and fire outrages on their forest reserves [1]. Indoor air pollution from burning of biomass in smoky, inefficient stoves lead to nearly three million premature deaths each year [2]. Considerable air pollution occurs in big cities worldwide [3]. Rapid population growth has translated into large urbanization with attendant increases in the volume of air pollution problems. Welding fumes permeate the environment and open air burning from municipal waste and landfills are major contributors to air pollution problems [4]. Air pollution generally has a great impact on both local and global environment [5,6]

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Methods

Results