Effects on antioxidant status of liver following atrazine exposure and its attenuation by vitamin E

In the present investigation, the effect of atrazine on antioxidant enzymes and body weight was studied in male Wistar rats. Atrazine (300 mg/kg bw) was administered by gavage for 7, 14 and 21 days. A significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) was observed following atrazine administration. Vitamin E treatment (100 mg/kg bw), on the otherhand, attenuated atrazine-induced LPO in liver. In addition, vitamin E treatment restored the GSH content and glucose-6-phosophate dehydrogenase activity that was found to be lowered after atrazine administration. The activities of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-s-transferase were significantly increased following atrazine administration and vitamin E treatment could restore these activities. In conclusion, the results of the study demonstrate that atrazine induces oxidative stress in terms of enhanced lipid peroxidation. However, vitamin E treatment ameliorated the effects of atrazine suggesting it as potential antioxidant against atrazine-induced oxidative stress. (C) 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.