THE EFFECTIVENESS OF N-ACETYLCYSTEINE AND CINNARIZINE ON PARAQUAT-INDUCED NEURO AND HEPATO-TOXICITY IN MICE (original) (raw)

In this study, ameliorating effects of N-acetylcysteine, a potent free radical scavenger, and a diphenylpiperazine derivative calcium antagonist cinnarizine, useful for the treatment of neurological disorders besides cardiovascular, hepatic and renal diseases, on paraquat-induced oxidative stress were investigated. N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 50 mg/kg, i.p.) and cinnarizine (CIN, 200 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered one hour prior to the administration of paraquat (PQ, 40 mg/kg, i.p.). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and gluhathione (GSH) were determined as markers of oxidative stress. After PQ treatment, MDA levels, an index of lipid peroxidation, significantly increased in both brain and liver (p<O.OOl). Pretreatment with NAC and CIN prevented PQ-induced increases in MDA in brain (p<0.05) and in liver (p<O.OOl, p<0.05 respectively). Mice dosed with NAC show ed a significant increase in GSH levels in both tissues (p-cü.Gl ) compared to the group dosed with PQ only. On the other hand, the alteration in brain and liver GSH levels in CIN adrninistered group was not found meaningfull statistically.