Malathion-induced oxidative stress in rat brain regions

Malathion is a pesticide with high potential for human exposure. However, it is possible that during the malathion metabolism, there is generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malathion may produce oxidative stress in intoxicated rats. The present study was therefore undertaken to determine malathion-induced lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonylation and to determine whether malathion intoxication alters the antioxidant system in brain rats. Malathion was administered intraperitoneally in the acute and chronic protocols in the doses of 25, 50, 100 and 150 mg malathion/kg. The results showed that LPO in brain increased in both protocols. The increased oxidative stress resulted in an increased in the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), observed in cortex, striatum in the acute malathion protocol and hippocampus in the chronic malathion protocol. Our results demonstrated that malathion induced oxidative stress and modulated SOD and CAT activity in selective brain regions.