Ameliorative effect of vitamin C on chronic chlorpyrifos-induced erythrocyte osmotic fragility in Wistar rats

• Published in: Human & experimental toxicology Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 19 - 24
• Main Authors: Ambali, Suleiman F, Ayo, Joseph O, Ojo, Samuel A, Esievo, King AN
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2011; Sage Publications; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Body weight; Chlorpyrifos; Chlorpyrifos - toxicity; Cholinesterase Inhibitors - toxicity; Chronic exposure; Erythrocytes; Erythrocytes - drug effects; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Insecticides - toxicity; Lethal dose; Lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Male; Malonaldehyde; Malondialdehyde - metabolism; Medical sciences; Oil; Oral administration; Osmosis; Osmotic Fragility; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Pesticides; Pesticides, fertilizers and other agrochemicals toxicology; Random Allocation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Rodents; Toxicity Tests, Chronic; Toxicology; Vitamin C; organophosphates; vitamin C; pesticide toxicology; oxidative stress; Chlorpyrifos; Oxidative stress; Insecticide; Ascorbic acid; Rat; Toxicity; Rodentia; Pesticides; Vitamin; Red blood cell; Blood cell; Vertebrata; Chronic; Mammalia; Animal; Organophosphorus compounds; Osmotic resistance
• ISSN: 0960-3271; 1477-0903
• DOI: 10.1177/0960327110368415

Chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos (CPF) has been shown to cause increased lipoperoxidative changes in the erythrocyte membranes. The relationship between chronic CPF-induced lipoperoxidative changes and erythrocyte fragility has not been elucidated. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the role of lipoperoxidation on CPF-induced erythrocyte fragility and the ameliorative effect of vitamin C. Twenty animals divided at random into four groups of five animals each served as subject for this study. Rats in group I served as the control group and were given only soya oil at a dose of 2 mL/kg body weight (b.w.). Rats in group II were dosed with vitamin C (100 mg/kg b.w.) and then supplemented with soya oil (2 mL/kg b.w.), while those in group III were administered with CPF only at a dose of 10.6 mg/kg b.w. (∼one-eighth of the previously determined median lethal dose [LD50]). Rats in group IV were pretreated with 100 mg/kg b.w. of vitamin C, and then dosed with CPF at a dose of 10.6 mg/kg b.w., 30 min later. The different treatment regimens were orally administered daily for a period of 17 weeks. Blood collected from the animals at the end of the test period were analyzed for erythrocyte osmotic fragility and malonaldehyde (MDA) concentration as an index of lipid peroxidation. The study showed that CPF caused significant increase in erythrocyte fragility and MDA concentration, which were ameliorated by pretreatment with vitamin C. In conclusion, the study showed that CPF-evoked erythrocyte fragility due to increased lipoperoxidative changes was ameliorated by pretreatment with vitamin C.