Effects of co-exposure to atrazine and ethanol on the oxidative damage of kidney and liver in Wistar rats

Abstract

Both ethanol (EtoH) and atrazine (ATZ) have hepatic and nephro-toxic effects in rats. In the present study, the toxicity of EtoH (5 g kg^-1) on the kidney and liver in the absence or in the presence of different doses of ATZ (50, 100, 300 mg kg^-1) was evaluated after 21 days in rats. Results showed that the mixture effects on catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were more severe in both tissues compared to EtoH alone, especially as the dose of ATZ was increased. Hepatic malondialdehyde level (an index of lipid peroxidation) was increased from 20.32% in the EtoH +50 mg kg^-1 ATZ-treated rats to 34% in the EtoH +300 mg kg^-1 ATZ-treated rats compared to the EtoH values. Renal malondialdehyde values remain as high as 81% in the EtoH-treated rats and the different combine exposure groups. Furthermore, as the dose of ATZ in the mixture was increased, serum uric acid level increased compared to the EtoH values. When the EtoH +300 mg kg^-1 ATZ-animals were pretreated with curcumin (an antioxidant), the histopathological changes and peroxidative damages in both tissues were blocked. The exposure of EtoH-treated rats to ATZ enhanced renal and hepatic peroxidative damages in rats.

Keywords: Atrazine; curcumin; ethanol; histopathological damage; kidney; liver; malondialdehyde.

Figure 1.

Effects of ethanol (EtoH) and the combination with different doses of atrazine (ATZ) on malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in the liver (A) and kidney (B) of rats after 3 weeks treatment regimen. Data are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 6). Data with different superscripts are significantly different (p < .05).

Figure 2.

The role of oxidative stress in both atrazine (ATZ) + ethanol (EtoH) induced hepato-renal toxicity in rats. Data are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 6). *Values with different superscripts are significantly different (p < .05).

Figure 3.

Effects of ethanol (EtoH) and the combination with different doses of atrazine (ATZ) on serum uric acid level. Data are presented as the mean ± SD (n = 6). *Values with different superscripts are significantly different (p < .05).

Figure 4.

Histopathology sections of the liver of ATZ- and EtoH-treated rats. (A) Control: No lesion seen. (B) EtoH: There is a very mild diffuse hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes. (C) EtoH +50 ATZ: There is a very mild periportal cellular infiltration by mononuclear cells. (D) EtoH +100 ATZ: There is a mild portal congestion, with mild periportal cellular infiltration. (E) EtoH +300 ATZ: There is a mild portal and central venous congestion. H & E, ×400 Mag.

Figure 5.

Histopathology of the kidney section of ATZ- and EtoH-treated rats. (A) Control: No visible lesions seen. (B) EtoH: No visible lesion seen. (C) EtoH +50 ATZ: There is a very mild renal cortical congestion. (D) EtoH +100 ATZ: The periglomerular interstitium appears infiltrated. There is a mild congestion of the renal cortex. (E) EtoH +300 ATZ: The renal tubules appear degenerate; many have proteinaceous casts in their lumina. H & E, ×400 Mag.

Figure 6.

Protective effects of curcumin (Cur) on the histopathological changes in the kidney and liver induced by the combine effects of EtoH (5 mg/kg, 50%v/v) plus ATZ (300 mg/kg b.wt.) in rats. In the kidney, many tubules are degenerate and contain protein casts in the lumina of EtoH + ATZ animals whereas no visible lesions seen in the kidney of EtoH + ATZ co-administered Cur animals. H & E, ×400 Mag. There is a mild to moderate portal congestion and periportal cellular infiltration by mononuclear cells in the EtoH + ATZ animals whereas no visible lesions seen in the liver of EtoH + ATZ animals co-administered Cur animals.