Cadmium Induced Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats: Ameliorative Effect of Quercetin and Embilica Officinalis Plant Extracts

Abstract

Background: Cadmium is a naturally occurring metal that is widely distributed throughout the biosphere. The present investigation is aimed to assess the antioxidant potential of Quercitin and Embilica officinalis (amla) extracts, which are reported to have a wide range of pharmacological properties including the efficacy of these selected substances on antioxidants and lipid peroxidation status in the liver tissue of rats during cadmium intoxication.
Methods: After three weeks of cadmium oral administration, certain specific enzymes of the hepatic tissue of Wistar rats were assayed.
Results: After three weeks of cadmium oral administration, certain specific enzymes of the hepatic tissue including aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), acid phosphatase (ACP), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly elevated, thus indicating cellular damage. The concentration of lipid peroxidation markers represented by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), lipid hydroperoxides and protein carbonyl contents of the liver tissue were significantly elevated, whereas vitamin C and E levels were found to be significantly reduced. But the activity of the antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidise (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were found to be significantly inhibited.
Conclusion: The results obtained in the present investigation clearly demonstrates the antioxidant potential of Quercetin and E. officinalis extract, by ways of decreasing lipid peroxidation against cadmium induced oxidative stress in rats.