Prevention of cadmium induced lipid peroxidation, depletion of some antioxidative enzymes and glutathione by a series of novel organoselenocyanates.

A series of organoselenocyanate compounds 4a-d were synthesized utilizing 1,8-naphthalic anhydride as the building unit. To evaluate the preventive potential of the Se compounds against Cd induced hepatic lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, female Swiss Albino mice were exposed to Cd (as CdCl(2)) during 20 days at a dose of 1 or 2mg/kg bw given ip and the selenium compounds were given at the dose of 3mg/kg bw orally in a pretreatment and concomitant treatment schedule. Hepatic lipid peroxidation level was increased significantly by Cd, whereas the glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase(SOD), reduced glutathione(GSH) and catalase(CAT) levels were decreased. The selenium compounds effectively decreased the hepatic lipid peroxidation level of the animals treated with Cd. The compounds were also effective in restoring the GST, SOD, and GSH as well as CAT level towards normal. Cadmium induced enhanced Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspertate aminotransferase (AST) level were also decreased by the selenium compounds. The study evidences the preventive effects of organoselenocyanates 4a-d (Scheme 1) against Cd induced lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, 4d showing the highest activity.