Protective role of Vitamin C against hepatorenal toxicity of fenvalerate in male rats

Hussein H.K^{1, 2}, Elnaggar M.H^{1, 3} and Al-Dailamy J.M¹

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

²Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

³Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

*Corresponding  Author  E-mail: ahssan555@yahoo.com

Accepted 15 May, 2012

There is increasing evidence that complications related to insecticides are associated with increased oxidative stress. Fenvalerate is causing different toxicities and Vitamin C has been reported to be an effective antioxidant. Therefore, the present study is aimed to elucidate the possible protective effects of Vitamin C in alleviating the toxicity of fenvalerate on liver and kidney performance, enzyme activities and lipids profile in serum of male rats. Adult male albino Wister rats (8 weeks), weighing 195 to 225 g were used in this study. The acute toxicity (LD50) of fenvalerate insecticide and its effects on male rats were carried out. Fenvalerate was given orally to male rats daily for 30 successive days (2.8 mg kg_1 b.wt. corresponding to 1/10 LD50) alone and in combination with Vitamin C (20 mg kg_1 b.wt. corresponding to acceptable daily intake. After this period the levels of oxidative stress parameters and activity of antioxidant enzymes were determined in various tissues. Fenvalerate altered antioxidant enzyme activities such as AST and ALT. These elevated enzymatic activities induced by oxidative stress were significantly restored to near normal by oral administration of Vitamin C as compared to untreated rats. There was a significant elevation in the level of liver and kidney malondialdhyde (MDA), while the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase (SOD and CAT) were significantly decreased in fenvalerate treated rats which also restored to normal after Vitamin C treatment. These biochemical observations showing that feeding Vitamin C may control oxidative stress by inhibiting the increase in TBARS and protein carbonyls and reversing altered antioxidant enzyme activities.

Keywords:  Fenvalerate, Vitamin C, antioxidant, enzyme activities, Rats.