The protective and antidotal effects of taurine on hexavalent chromium-induced oxidative stress in mice liver tissue

Abstract

Acute exposure to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] compounds can cause hepatotoxicity. Reactive intermediates and free radicals generated during reduction process may be responsible for Cr(VI) toxicity. In this study, the effects of pretreatment or posttreatment of taurine on Cr(VI)-induced oxidative stress and chromium accumulation in liver tissue of Swiss Albino mice were investigated. Single intraperitoneal (ip) potassium dichromate treatment (20 mgCr/kg), as Cr(VI) compound, significantly elevated the level of lipid peroxidation as compared with control group (p < 0.05). This was accompanied by significant decreases in nonprotein sulfhydryls (NPSHs) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities as well as a significant chromium accumulation in the tissue (p < 0.05). Taurine administration (1 g/kg, ip) before or after Cr(VI) exposure resulted in reduction of lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05) showed rebalancing effect on tissue NPSH levels either in pretreatment or in posttreatment (p < 0.05). Enzyme activities of SOD and CAT were restored by taurine pretreatment (p < 0.05), whereas posttreatment had less pronounced effects on these parameters. On the other hand, taurine treatment, before or after exposure, could exert only slight decreases in tissue Cr levels (p > 0.05). In view of the results, taurine seems to exert some beneficial effects against Cr(VI)-induced oxidative stress in liver tissue.