Oxidative Stress and Oxidative Damage in Male Rat Erythrocytes Associated with Prolonged Exposure to Smoke Pollution

Abstract

Exposure of animals to different duration of smoke can result in a wide range of adverse clinical conditions. Toxicological consequences arising from prolonged exposure may not be totally enumerated. The present study was to evaluate the oxidative stress-inducing potential of a short and long-time exposure of male rat erythrocytes to environmentally relevant to public health. Male Wistar rats were exposed to open municipal land-fill smoke for 30 and/or 60 days. The oxidative stress in erythrocytes was evaluated by assessing the magnitude of malondialdehyde production and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (C) and glutathione reductase (GR) after 30 and/or 60 days of exposure. After 30 days there was no change in SOD, catalase and GR activities and no alterations in GSH and lipid peroxidation (LPO). After 60 days, the levels and activities of SOD (23.62%), catalase (5.24%), GR (14.87%) decreased. Overall, the study demonstrates that the chronic exposure of male rats to smoke results in induction of oxidative stress and simultaneous reduction in antioxidative defense system in erythrocytes at 60 days of exposure.