Effects of crude oil and its inorganic component (vanadium) on antioxidant enzymes in liver and kidneys of rats

Abstract

Antioxidant defense were studied in liver and kidney of male albino rats received an aqueous solution of ammonium metavanadate (AMV; 0.30 mg V/mL) or/and crude oil (CO; 0.75 ml/kg bw ip)) for 21-day period. AMV or/and CO treatments resulted in a significant (P<0.001) induction in aminotransferases (ALT and AST) activities in serum, as well as lipid peroxidation in liver and kidney. Concomitantly significant (P<0.001) decline in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) content was obtained. In AMV and AMV-CO treatments, glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity significantly (P<0.001) reduced in liver and induced in kidney while in CO treatment, GST activity significantly (P<0.01) induced in liver and was unchanged in kidney. Signs of toxicity were observed in all vanadium-treated animals as evidenced by some deaths, decreased weight gain. These data indicated that kidney is more vulnerable to the caused by the AMV or/and CO-induced oxidative stress than liver as well as that the oxidative stress at co-exposure to AMV and CO may be more markedly advanced than at separate exposure.