Taurine abated subacute dichlorvos toxicity

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of taurine in rats exposed to subacute dichlorvos toxicity. Fifty rats were weighed and assigned into five groups of ten rats each. The groups received: distilled water, soya oil (1 ml/kg), taurine (50 mg/kg), dichlorvos (10 mg/kg) and the combination treatment group received taurine first and then dichlorvos 30 min later. The treatments were administered once daily by oral gavage for 4 weeks. The rats were euthanized and blood samples were collected after the termination of the study. Serum samples were analysed for malondialdehyde concentration and activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase). Dichlorvos increased malondialdehyde concentration and reduced the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. There was attenuation of malondialdehyde concentration and improvement of activities of superoxide dismutase (P = 0.0273) and catalase (P < 0.0001) in rats treated with taurine. It is postulated that taurine ameliorated dichlorvos-induced oxidative stress through the reduction of malondialdehyde concentration and the enhancement of activities of antioxidant enzymes.

Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; Dichlorvos; Malondialdehyde; Oxidative stress; Taurine.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Effects of treatments on serum malondialdehyde concentration. Data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean, n = 10 animals/group. DW: Distilled Water; SO: Soya Oil (1 ml/kg); TA: Taurine (50 mg/kg); DP: Dichlorvos (10 mg/kg); TA + DP: Taurine (50 mg/kg) + Dichlorvos (10 mg/kg). F_4,45 = 1.506; P = 0.2164.

Fig. 2

Effects of treatments on serum superoxide dismutase activity. Data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean, n = 10 animals/group. DW: Distilled Water; SO: Soya Oil (1 ml/kg); TA: Taurine (50 mg/kg); DP: Dichlorvos (10 mg/kg); TA + DP: Taurine (50 mg/kg) + Dichlorvos (10 mg/kg). a = P < .05 TA group versus SO group. F_4,45 = 3.283; P = 0.0191.

Fig. 3

Effects of treatments on serum catalase activity. Data are expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean, n = 10 animals/group DW: Distilled Water; SO: Soya Oil (1 ml/kg); TA: Taurine (50 mg/kg); DP: Dichlorvos (10 mg/kg); TA + DP: Taurine (50 mg/kg) + Dichlorvos (10 mg/kg) a = p < 0.001 TA group versus DW and SO groups respectively. b = p < 0.01 TA group versus DP group. c = p < 0.001 TA + DP group versus DW and SO groups respectively. d = p < 0.05 TA + DP group versus DP group. F_4,45 = 11.93; P < 0.0001.