Effect of zinc on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in hepatic and brain tissues of chick embryos.

Chick embryos were treated with different concentrations (25 and 75 mumoles/kg egg wt.) of zinc on the 14th day of embryonic development. The levels of thiobarbuturic acid reacting substances (TBARS), glutathione (GSH) and activity levels of antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were measured in both hepatic and brain tissues after different time intervals (24 h, 72 h and 120 h) of zinc exposure. Increased levels of TBARS were observed after 24 h of zinc treatment and thereafter (72 h and 120 h) the levels were decreased in both the tissues. Significant induction was observed in antioxidant enzyme activities in both the tissues after 24 h and 72 h when compared to 120 h. However, the GSH levels were increased at 24 h and 72 h and thereafter decreased in both the tissues at 120 h. The elevated levels of antioxidant enzymes at 24 h and 72 h may be responsible for the reduction of TBARS at 72 h and 120 h in developing chick embryos.