Novel neuroprotective and hepatoprotective effects of citric acid in acute malathion intoxication

Omar M E Abdel-Salam; Eman R Youness; Nadia A Mohammed; Noha N Yassen; Yasser A Khadrawy; Safinaz Ebrahim El-Toukhy; Amany A Sleem

doi:10.1016/j.apjtm.2016.11.005

Novel neuroprotective and hepatoprotective effects of citric acid in acute malathion intoxication

Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2016 Dec;9(12):1181-1194. doi: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2016.11.005. Epub 2016 Nov 10.

Authors

Omar M E Abdel-Salam¹, Eman R Youness², Nadia A Mohammed², Noha N Yassen³, Yasser A Khadrawy⁴, Safinaz Ebrahim El-Toukhy², Amany A Sleem⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Toxicology and Narcotics, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: omasalam@hotmail.com.
² Department of Medical Biochemistry, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
³ Department of Pathology, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Physiology, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Pharmacology, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.

PMID: 27955746
DOI: 10.1016/j.apjtm.2016.11.005

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect of citric acid given alone or combined with atropine on brain oxidative stress, neuronal injury, liver damage, and DNA damage of peripheral blood lymphocytes induced in the rat by acute malathion exposure.

Methods: Rats were received intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of malathion 150 mg/kg along with citric acid (200 or 400 mg/kg, orally), atropine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) or citric acid 200 mg/kg + atropine 1 mg/kg and euthanized 4 h later.

Results: Malathion resulted in increased lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) and nitric oxide concentrations accompanied with a decrease in brain reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glucose concentrations. Paraoxonase-1, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase activities decreased in brain as well. Liver aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities were raised. The comet assay showed increased DNA damage of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Histological damage and increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were observed in brain and liver. Citric acid resulted in decreased brain lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide. Meanwhile, glutathione, GPx activity, TAC capacity and brain glucose level increased. Brain AChE increased but PON1 and butyrylcholinesterase activities decreased by citric acid. Liver enzymes, the percentage of damaged blood lymphocytes, histopathological alterations and iNOS expression in brain and liver was decreased by citric acid. Meanwhile, rats treated with atropine showed decreased brain MDA, nitrite but increased GPx activity, TAC, AChE and glucose. The drug also decreased DNA damage of peripheral blood lymphocytes, histopathological alterations and iNOS expression in brain and liver.

Conclusions: The study demonstrates a beneficial effect for citric acid upon brain oxidative stress, neuronal injury, liver and DNA damage due to acute malathion exposure.

Keywords: Cholinesterase; Citric acid; Comet assay; Malathion; Oxidative stress; Paraoxonase 1.