The effect of toluene on oxidative processes in rat blood

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effects of toluene treatment on oxidative stress in rat blood. Since toluene metabolism produces reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, it was hypothesized that the toluene treatment would: 1) provoke changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, 2) impair the integrity of the cell membrane and 3) induce structural changes in the plasma proteins. Female Wistar rats were treated with toluene intraperitonally, at a daily dose of 0.38 mmol/kg body weight for 12 days, and 5 mmol/kg body weight for 6 days, respectively, with propylene glycol as the carrier. Toluene significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity at low doses, catalase activity at high doses and the level of erythrocytes malondialdehyde in both treated groups when compared to the control group. The nitrite (NO2-) level in both treated groups was not different from that in the control animals. Toluene caused oxidative modification of plasma proteins and, consequently, changes in the concentration of glycoproteins and lipoproteins when compared to the control group. The observed alterations indicate that toluene treatment might be involved in free radical processes.