Protective effects of erdosteine on rotenone-induced oxidant injury in liver tissue

Alpaslan Terzi1, Mustafa Iraz, Semsettin Sahin

  • 1Department of General Surgery, Medical Faculty of Inonu University, Malatya, Turkey.

Insights

Erdosteine, an antioxidant agent, protects against rotenone-induced liver injury by reducing oxidative stress. This study shows erdosteine significantly decreases lipid peroxidation and xanthine oxidase activity in rats exposed to rotenone.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Rotenone, a botanical insecticide, induces mitochondrial complex I inhibition and subsequent liver oxidative injury.
  • Erdosteine is a mucolytic agent with demonstrated antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the protective effects of erdosteine against rotenone-induced liver oxidative damage in a rat model.
  • To assess the impact of erdosteine on key oxidative stress markers in rotenone-treated rats.

Main Methods:

  • Male Wistar Albino rats were divided into four groups: control, erdosteine-only, rotenone-only, and rotenone plus erdosteine.
  • Rotenone was administered intraperitoneally, while erdosteine was given orally for 60 days.
  • Liver tissue was analyzed for xanthine oxidase (XO), lipid peroxidation (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) levels.

Main Results:

  • Rotenone treatment significantly increased XO activity and lipid peroxidation (P < 0.05).
  • Co-administration of erdosteine with rotenone significantly reduced lipid peroxidation and XO activity (P < 0.05).
  • Erdosteine treatment increased CAT and SOD activities in rotenone-exposed rats (P < 0.05), with significant negative correlations observed between CAT and MDA, and CAT and SOD.

Conclusions:

  • Erdosteine demonstrates significant protective effects against rotenone-induced liver oxidative injury in rats.
  • Erdosteine's antioxidant properties appear to mitigate rotenone's toxic effects by modulating key enzymatic and oxidative stress markers.
  • These findings suggest erdosteine's potential as a therapeutic agent for mitigating insecticide-induced hepatotoxicity.