The modulatory effects of ellagic acid and vitamin E succinate on TCDD-induced oxidative stress in different brain regions of rats after subchronic exposure

The effects of ellagic acid (EA) and vitamin E succinate (VES) on 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin (TCDD)-induced oxidative stress in different brain regions of rats have been studied after subchronic exposure to the compounds. TCDD was administered to groups of rats at a dose of 46 ng/kg/day for 90 days. EA and VES were administered to groups of rats, either separately or simultaneously with TCDD, every other day for 90 days. At the end of the treatment period, animals were sacrificed and brains were dissected to cerebral cortex (Cc), hippocampus (H), cerebellum (C), and brain stem (Bs), and were assayed for production of superoxide anion (SA), lipid peroxidation (LP), and DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs). While TCDD administration to rats resulted in significant production of SA, LP, and DNA SSBs in Cc and H, simultaneous administration of VES or EA with the xenobiotics resulted in significant protection against those effects. The results also indicate that VES provided a better protyection against TCDD-induced effects in brains when compared with EA. (c) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.