ROLE OF VITAMIN E IN REDUCTION OF OXIDATIVE STRESS INDUCED BY PYRETHROIDS ON RAT LIVER

Abstract

Pyrethroids account for over than 30% of insecticide use worldwide, a new generation of pyrethroid, is widely used in agriculture, home pest control and protection of foodstuff. Some pyrethroid insecticides last a long time in the environment (days or weeks) and the others may break down within a few minutes to a few hours after application. Extensive application of pesticides is usually accompanied with serious problems of pollution and health hazards. Antioxidants have shown that they inhibit the free radical formation produced by pyrethroid, that may effectively decrease lipid peroxidation in biological systems. So, the present work studied the toxic effect of permethrin on rat liver cells and to evaluate the role of vitamin E in reduction of these effects. The study was carried out on 40 male albino rats. Permethrin was obtained from El-Nasr Co. Intermediate Chem., Egypt. It was obtained in a concentration of (75mg/ml) dissolved in corn oil. Vitamin E was obtained from Arab Company for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Plants (MEPACO), Egypt, in Capsular form. Rats were assigned to the following experimental groups; Group A: Control group: included 10 rats. They were divided into two subgroups (subgroup AA: negative control group: included 5 rats on usual diet and had no any addition of medications or drugs; subgroup AB: positive control group: included 5 rats on usual diet and 0.5 ml of corn oil, to test if it has any effects on the rat liver cells). Group B: Permethrin-treated group: include 15 rats, treated with permethrin in 150 mg/kg/day for 4 months, and had no any other treatment. Group C: include 15 rats, treated with permethrin in 150 mg/kg/ day for 4 months plus vitamin E 100mg/kg/ day for 4 months.; then blood samples were collected for different laboratory analysis from inner canthus of the eye by capillary tubes. The following biochemical parameters had been estimated as: liver function tests, serum glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidases and alfa–feto protein, then after 4 months liver samples were taken and divided into two samples, one for electron microscopy examination and the other for the histopathological examination by hematoxylin and eosin. In general the results of the present study show that pyrethroids exposure introduces significant oxidative stress in hepatic tissues. In addition, vitamin E exerted a protective effect against oxidative stress damage to liver tissue. It was recommended that expanding more effort on most groups of insecticides with testing the effects of others antioxidants such as (zinc, selenium, glutathione, vitamin C) in reduction of oxidative stress on the liver and others organs.