Oxidative stress in brain and heart of the hatchling chicken following in ovo injection with Sulfadiazine

Objectives: Sulfonamide is a widely used antibiotic that can inhibit both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as some protozoa. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of the administration of different doses of sulfadiazine in heart muscle of chicken embryo as an experimental model in order to detect rate of oxidative stress.Materials Methods: One hundred fertile eggs were obtained and divided into five groups: 1) control group (without injection), 2) group injected with 2 mg sulfadiazine 3) group injected with 10 mg sulfadiazine 4) group injected with 30 mg sulfadiazine 5) group injected with 70 mg sulfadiazine. After hatching, the pectoral muscle tissue from the newly hatched chick was harvested for measurement of oxidative stress parameters (Lipid peroxidation, total glutathione content (GSH), and ferric reducing capacity assay).Results Conclusion: sulfadiazine at dose 30 mg and 70 mg caused an increase in LPO concentration in heart muscle, and decrease in GSH content.However, significant alteration of oxidative stress parameters detected at dose 10 mg and higher. It can be concluded that in-egg administration of up to 10mg sulfadizine/kg b.wt was safe for the chicken embryo, whereas 30 mg/kg and above levels were highly toxic to the chicken embryo.