This study aimed to verify whether Olea europaea L. (olive) oil (OEO) exerted a protective effect against oxidative stress induced by deltamethrin (DM) and alterations of pituitary, thyroid and gonadal hormones in adult female rats. DM (0,00256 g/kg body weight),OEO (0,6 g/kg body weight) and DM with OEO were administered to rats orally for 28 days. Volatile compounds present in olive oil were analysed by GC-MS. Estradiol (E2), Thyroxine (T4),Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Triiodothyronine (T3), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Progesterone (Pg) were measured in serum using Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA). Lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyls (PCs), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels along with superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were determined in thyroid and ovarian tissues. Sesquiterpenes, (E,E)-α-farnesene (16.45%) and α-copaene (9,86%), were analysed as the main volatile compounds of OEO. The relative weight of ovaries and thyroid and body weight significantly decreased in rats treated with DM. DM caused significant alterations in TSH, T4, FSH, Pg and E2 levels while T3 and LH concentrations remained unchanged when compared to control. DM also increased significantly LPO and PCs levels. In addition, GSH reserves as well as CAT, GPx, SOD and GST activities were suppressed in DM-received rats. The presence of OEO with DM returned the levels of oxidative stress markers, thyroid and reproductive hormones at the control values. Our results indicate that OEO is a powerful agent able to protect against DM oxidative stress and endocrine changes.
Keywords: Deltamethrin; Gonadal hormones; Olea europaea L. oil; Oxidative stress; Pituitary hormones; Thyroid hormones.
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