The effect of ferulic acid against lead-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in kidney and testes of rats

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2019-11, Vol.26 (31), p.31675-31684
• Main Authors: Kelainy, Eman G., Ibrahim Laila, Ibrahim M., Ibrahim, Shaimaa R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acid phosphatase; Acids; Animals; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Attenuation; Body weight; Catalase; Cosmetics; Coumaric Acids - analysis; Coumaric Acids - chemistry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA damage; DNA Damage - drug effects; DNA fragmentation; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Ferulic acid; Follicle-stimulating hormone; Free radicals; Free Radicals - chemistry; Free Radicals - metabolism; Hair dyes; Inflammation; Insecticides; Kidney - drug effects; Kidneys; Lead; Lead - metabolism; Lead acetates; Levels; Lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Lipids; Luteinizing hormone; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Luteinizing Hormone - chemistry; Male; Menopause; Organic chemistry; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxygen; Peroxidation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - chemistry; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Research Article; Skin; Species; Testes; Testis - drug effects; Testosterone; Toxicity; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06099-6

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants which leads to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cells. Reactive oxygen species contains oxygen radicals that easily react with other molecules in the biological system. For decades, lead acetate (Pb(C 2 H 3 O2) 2 ) is used as an additive for many widely used chemical products such as insecticides, hair dyes, and cosmetics; however, contact with lead acetate may irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. In the present study, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of using ferulic acid to inhibit lead acetate-induced toxicity in rats is investigated. Lead acetate was orally given at a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight for 10 days, either alone or with ferulic acid at dose 25 mg/kg. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were measured. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and catalase (CAT) activities were determined. In addition, histopathological changes of testes and kidney were examined. Results showed that administration of lead acetate induced oxidative stress through attenuation of luteinizing hormone, total testosterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in serum. Moreover, the kidney and testes of lead acetate-treated animals exhibited elevation of ROS level, lipid peroxide levels, as well as lysosomal enzyme activity such acid phosphatase and N-acetyl-β-glucosminidase. DNA fragmentation and histological changes were also observed in lead acetate-treated group. In contrast, ferulic acid treatment reduced the deleterious effects induced by lead acetate in both testes and kidney tissues. These results illustrated that ferulic acid has a protective action against toxicity caused by lead acetate in rats. In conclusions, ferulic acid may have future therapeutic relevance in the prevention of lead acetate-induced testicular and renal toxicity in rats.