Effects on antioxidant status of liver following atrazine exposure and its attenuation by vitamin E.

In the present investigation, the effect of atrazine on antioxidant enzymes and body weight was studied in male Wistar rats. Atrazine (300 mg/kgbw) was administered by gavage for 7, 14 and 21 days. A significant increase in hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) was observed following atrazine administration. Vitamin E treatment (100 mg/kgbw), on the otherhand, attenuated atrazine-induced LPO in liver. In addition, vitamin E treatment restored the GSH content and glucose-6-phosophate dehydrogenase activity that was found to be lowered after atrazine administration. The activities of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-s-transferase were significantly increased following atrazine administration and vitamin E treatment could restore these activities. In conclusion, the results of the study demonstrate that atrazine induces oxidative stress in terms of enhanced lipid peroxidation. However, vitamin E treatment ameliorated the effects of atrazine suggesting it as potential antioxidant against atrazine-induced oxidative stress.