Pleurotus ostreatus, an oyster mushroom, decreases the oxidative stress induced by carbon tetrachloride in rat kidneys, heart and brain

• Published in: Chemico-biological interactions 2008-11, Vol.176 (2), p.108-120
• Main Authors: Jayakumar, T., Sakthivel, M., Thomas, P.A., Geraldine, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidant; Ascorbic Acid - analysis; Brain - drug effects; Brain - enzymology; Brain - metabolism; Carbon Tetrachloride - toxicity; Catalase - metabolism; CCl 4; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Free radicals; Glutathione - analysis; Glutathione Peroxidase - metabolism; Glutathione Transferase - metabolism; Heart - drug effects; Histology; Isozymes; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - enzymology; Kidney - metabolism; Lipid peroxidation; Male; Malondialdehyde - analysis; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Pleurotus - chemistry; Pleurotus ostreatus; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Vitamin E - analysis
• ISSN: 0009-2797; 1872-7786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2008.08.006

The present work is aimed at evaluating the protective effect of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus on carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4)-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats. Significantly elevated mean levels ( p < 0.05) of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lowered mean levels ( p < 0.01) of reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamins C and E ( p < 0.05) were observed in kidneys, heart and brain of rats exposed to CCl 4, when compared to values in normal rats. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and glutathione- S-transferase (GST) revealed lower activities of these antioxidant enzymes in the kidneys, heart and brain of rats exposed to CCl 4. When the extract of P. ostreatus was used to treat rats with CCl 4-induced toxicity, it lowered the mean level of MDA, elevated the mean levels of GSH and of vitamins C and E and enhanced the mean activities of CAT, SOD, Gpx and GST so that the values of most of these parameters did not differ significantly from those of normal rats. Histopathological studies confirmed the toxic effects of CCl 4 on other organs such as kidneys, heart and brain and also tissue protective effect of the extract of P. ostreatus. These results suggest that an extract of P. ostreatus is able to alleviate the oxidative damage caused by CCl 4 in the kidneys, heart and brain of Wistar rats.