Bisphenol A induces reactive oxygen species generation in the liver of male rats

Bisphenol A, an environmental contaminant, widely used as a monomer in polycarbonate plastics, has been shown to cause abnormalities in liver of rats and mice. The nature and mechanism of action of bisphenol A on liver is not clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate if bisphenol A induces oxidative stress in the liver of rats and if co-administration of vitamin C, an antioxidant, can prevent oxidative stress. Bisphenol A (0.2, 2.0 and 20 mug/kg body weight per day) and bisphenol A+ vitamin C (0.2, 2.0, 20 mug + 40 mg/kg body weight per day) was orally administered to rats for 30 days. After 24 h of the last treatment, rats were killed using overdose of anesthetic ether. Body weights of the animals and the weights of liver showed no significant changes. The activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased in mitochondrial and microsome-rich fractions of liver. The levels of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation increased in the treated rats when compared with the corresponding group of control animals. Activity of alanine transaminase, a marker enzyme of hepatic injury remained unchanged in the treated rats as compared with the corresponding control rats. Co-administration of bisphenol A and vitamin C showed no changes in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase and in the levels of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation as compared with the corresponding control groups. The results indicated that bisphenol A induces oxidative stress in the liver of rats by decreasing the antioxidant enzymes. Co-administration of vitamin C reversed the effects of bisphenol A-induced oxidative stress in the liver of rats. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.