EFFECTS OF TAURINE AND VITAMIN E ON LIPID PEROXIDATION, ANTIOXIDANT SYSTEM AND HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES IN WISTAR RAT LIVER AND KIDNEY AFTER SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE OF METHIOCARB

SUMMARY The present work was designed to examine possible effects of methiocarb on lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH), antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide distumtase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) ve glutathione reductase (GSH-Rd) and histological changes in Wistar albino rats after 5-day exposure. Moreover, we evaluated possible protective effects of vitamin E and taurine on methiocarb-induced oxidative damage. Fourty-eight rats were randomly divided into six groups as follows: control; methiocarb; vitamin E; vitamin E+methiocarb; taurine and taurine+methiocarb. 5-day exposure of methiocarb (1/10 of LD50) significantly increased lipid peroxidation in liver and kidney when compared to control group. Levels of GSH and activities of SOD and CAT were found to be decreased, while GSH-Px increased and GSH-Rd remained unchanged in rat tissues treated with methiocarb. Pre-treatment of vitamin E (100 mg/kg b.w.) and taurine (50 mg/kg b.w.) resulted in a significant decrease on lipid peroxidation, alleviating effects on GSH and antioxidant enzymes. Administration of methiocarb caused to the degenerative changes in liver and kidney tissues. Pre-treatment of vitamin E and taurine were partially protected both tissues against methiocarb-induced liver and kidney injury. In conclusion, the study has demonstrated that 5-day methiocarb exposure in Wistar rats caused oxidative damage on liver and kidney which were partly ameliorated by pre-treatment of vitamin E and taurine. Key words: Methiocarb; Taurine; Vitamin E; Lipid peroxidation; Antioxidant system; Histological changes