Influence of cadmium and green tea extract on lipid peroxidation in brain and red blood cells of mice

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic, nonessential transition metal, classified as a human carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program. Cd can enter into the brain parenchyma and neurons causing neurological alterations in humans and animal models, leading to lower attention, hyper nociception, olfactory dysfunction and memory deficits. However, mechanisms underlying Cd neurotoxicity remain not completely underdtood. It is known that green tea extract (GTE) is characterized as one of natural antioxidants source, which can be used to protect cells from oxidative stress damage. So, the present study was conducted to investigate whether the GTE could play any protective role against the potent neurotoxin Cd-induced oxidative impairment in mice brain and red blood cells. Experiments were done on outbred white laboratory mice using intraperitoneal injections of CdCl₂ (0,16 mg Cd²⁺/kg body weight) and/or GTE (50 mg GTE/kg body weight) solutions. The exposure-time was 6 weeks. Lipid peroxides were estimated by measuring thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances and were expressed as malondialdehyde (MDA). Our experiments showed that Cd increased lipid peroxidation in m ice brain by 30% in comparison with control mice group. Meanwhile, in GTE and Cd+GTE mice groups, the concent of MDA was decreased by 12% and 22%, respectively, as compared to control mice group. Our results showed that GTE can reduce the effects of Cd on mice brain. [...].