POTENT PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF alpha -TOCOPHEROL an‎d FISH OIL ON IN VIVO PARAQUAT INDUCED OXIDATIVE DAMAGE IN RATS

The potential protective role of a-tocopherol and fish oil against oxidative damage induced by paraquat were investigated. Forty male albino rats with average body weight of 100-120 gm were housed in 8 groups of 5 rats each. The first group served as control and injected with saline, group 2 was injected with a single dose of paraquat (10 mg/kg, intraperittoneally) for 24 h prior to decapitation (P), group 3 was administered orally with vitamin E (100 mg/kg) five times a week (E). group 4 was administered orally with fish oil (20 mg/kg) five times a week (FO); group 5 received FO+E, groups 6, 7 and 8 were administrated with P+E, P+FO and P+E+FO respectively. The content of microsomal proteins, drug metabolizing enzymes and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were determined in liver microsome after treatment. Vitamin E together with fish oil significantly decreased the content of cytochrome bs (p 0.01), c ytochrome P-450 (p 0.01). glutathione-S-transeferase (p 0.01) and cytochrome C-reductase (p 0.01) when given before paraquat injection. Meanwhile, this combination of vitamin E and fish oil significantly (p 0.05) increased amidopyrine N-demethylase. On the other hand vitamin E and fish oil alleviated the paraquat induced increase in TBARS. In conclusion, oral administration of vitamin E and fish oil are effective in reducing the activity of selected drug metabolizing enzymes and are also effective in reducing lipid peroxidation process caused by paraquat. So, these combinations provide a potent protection against paraquat-induced oxidative toxicity in rats liver.