High blood pressure is one of the symptoms of paraquat-induced toxicity in rats

Arch Toxicol. 2005 Sep;79(9):515-8. doi: 10.1007/s00204-005-0660-x. Epub 2005 Jul 20.

Abstract

This study investigated whether paraquat (Pq)-induced lipidic peroxidation (LP) is accompanied by changes in blood pressure and heart rate (HR) in rats. Groups of adult male Wistar rats were studied 2 and 12 h after Pq (35 mg/kg, i.p.) administration. The LP was evaluated by monitoring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the kidneys, liver and lungs, and validated by including a group treated with an antioxidant, superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD 50,000 IU/kg), in the study. The TBARS levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the kidneys of the rats studied 2 h after Pq than in their respective controls. Similarly, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were higher (p<0.05), while HR was lower (p<0.05) than basal levels 2 and 12 h after Pq administration. In contrast, the group treated simultaneously with Pq and CuZnSOD exhibited lower levels of TBARS (p<0.05) in all studied organs compared to the control group, while the mean arterial pressure and HR did not differ from those seen in the control group. These findings indicate that acute Pq poisoning symptoms include high blood pressure.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Hemodynamics / drug effects
  • Herbicides / toxicity*
  • Hypertension / chemically induced*
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Paraquat / toxicity*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / metabolism

Substances

  • Herbicides
  • Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
  • Paraquat