Antioxidant protection by β-selenoamines against thioacetamide-induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in mice

Thioacetamide (TAA) is a hepatotoxin that rapidly triggers the necrotic process and oxidative stress in the liver. Nevertheless, organic selenium compounds, such as β-selenoamines, can be used as pharmacological agents to diminish the oxidative damage. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of the antioxidant β-selenoamines on TAA-induced oxidative stress in mice. Here, we observed that a single intraperitoneal injection of TAA (200 mg/kg) dramatically elevated some parameters of oxidative stress, such as lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, as well as depleted cellular antioxidant defenses. In addition, TAA-induced edema and morphological changes in the liver, which correlate with high serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferase enzyme activities, and a decrease in cell viability. Conversely, a significant reduction in liver lipid peroxidation, ROS production, and edema was observed in animals that received an intraperitoneal injection of β-selenoamines (15.6 mg/kg) 1 h after TAA administration.