Subacute alcohol and/or disulfiram intake affects bioelements and redox status in rat testes

The aim of the study was to investigate if alcohol and disulfiram (DSF) individually and in combination affect bioelements' and red-ox homeostasis in testes of the exposed rats. The animals were divided into groups according to the duration of treatments (21 and/or 42 days): C₂₁/C₄₂ groups (controls); OL₂₁ and OL_22-42 groups (0.5 mL olive oil intake); A_1-21 groups (3 mL 20% ethanol intake); DSF_1-21 groups (178.5 mg DSF/kg/day intake); and A₂₁+DSF_22-42 groups (the DSF ingestion followed previous 21 days' treatment with alcohol). The measured parameters in testes included metals: zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg) and selenium (Se); as well as oxidative stress (OS) parameters: superoxide anion radical (O₂^•-), glutathione reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG), malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) decomposition and activities of total superoxide dismutase (tSOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione reductase (GR). Metal status was changed in all experimental groups (Fe rose, Zn fell, while Cu increased in A₂₁+DSF_24-32 groups). Development of OS was demonstrated in A_1-21 groups, but not in DSF_1-21 groups. In A₂₁+DSF_22-42 groups, OS was partially reduced compared to A groups (A_1-21>MDA>C; A_1-21