Haloperidol- and clozapine-induced oxidative stress in the rat brain

Haloperidol (HAL) is a typical neuroleptic that acts primarily as a D2 dopamine receptor antagonist. It has been proposed that reactive oxygen species play a causative role in neurotoxic effects induced by HAL. Adult male Wistar rats received daily injections of HAL (1.5 mg/kg) or clozapine (CLO, 25 mg/kg), an atypical neuroleptic, for 28 days. Control animals were given saline (SAL; NaCl 0.9%). Oxidative parameters in the brain were measured in the striatum (ST), hippocampus (HP) and cortex (CX). Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances (TBAR) levels were increased by HAL treatment in the ST and decreased in CX of both of the HAL- and CLO-treated rats. Protein carbonyls were significantly increased by both HAL and CLO in the HP. The nonenzymatic antioxidant potential was decreased in the HP, and superoxide production was significantly increased in the ST following treatment with HAL. CLO induced an increase in superoxide production in the HP. Neither HAL nor CLO affected catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The findings suggest that HAL and CLO can induce oxidative damage to the ST and HP in rats.