Protective effect of lutein against acrolein-induced ototoxicity in rats

Acrolein is a reactive aldehyde that forms during burning of wood and other fuels. It is also a product of lipid peroxidation (LPO) reactions and is present in cigarette smoke. Acrolein is known to cause oxidative stress and inflammatory nerve tissue damage. Lutein is a tetraterpenoid molecule with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. There appear to be no studies on the effect of lutein on vestibulocochlear nerve damage induced by acrolein. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lutein on vestibulocochlear nerve damage induced by acrolein in rats using biochemical and histopathological methods.

The rats were divided into three groups (n = 6, for each group) a healthy control group (HG), an acrolein (ACR) group and a lutein and acrolein (LACR) group. In the LACR group, lutein was administered (1 mg/kg) via oral gavage. The ACR and HG groups received saline via oral gavage. Then, 1 h after the administration of lutein and saline, the LACR and ACR groups were treated with 3 mg/kg of acrolein via oral gavage. This procedure was repeated once a day for 30 days.

The results of biochemical experiments showed that in the vestibulocochlear nerve tissues of the animals treated with acrolein, the levels of malondialdehyde, total oxidants, nuclear factor kappa b, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta significantly increased, whereas the levels of total glutathione and total antioxidants decreased as compared to those in the HG and LACR groups. In addition, severe histopathological damage was observed in vestibulocochlear nerve tissue of the acrolein group, whereas this damage was alleviated in the lutein group.

Lutein protected vestibulocochlear nerve tissue from acrolein-associated oxidative and proinflammatory damage. This suggests that lutein might be useful in preventing or treating acrolein-induced ototoxicity.