Influence of high voltage static electric field on antioxidant enzymes activity in male rats

In the paper the influence of long-term exposure to high voltage static electric field generated in a specially designed experimental system on activity of some antioxidant enzymes in rats was investigated. Male Wistar rats were exposed for 10 days, four hours daily to static electric field with different electric field intensity of 16, 32 and 48 kV/m, which are usually generated near constant current high voltage transmission lines. The control animals were subjected to sham-exposure in the same experimental system, during which no electric field was generated between electrodes. After the end of exposure cycle in obtained serum and hemolysate of erythrocytes the activity of some antioxidant enzymes as catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase was determined with use of spectrophotometric methods. As a result of long-term exposure statistically significant increase in activity of glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase in erythrocytes as well as increase in superoxide dismutase in serum in group of rats exposed to electric field with highest intensity of 48 kV/m as compared to control rats was observed. On the basis of these results it was concluded that high voltage static electric fields stimulate antioxidant reactions in living organism, probably as adaptative effect related to increased production of toxic oxygen free radicals produced under influence of the highest intensity electric field. These data indicates necessity of proper construction of constant current high voltage transmission lines to avoid serious health hazards for human population.