Dimethoate-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in rat blood cells: preventive effects of ferulic acid

Abstract

Objective: Chemicals called as insecticides are frequently used in agricultural control and cause toxic effects on non-target organisms, especially mammals. Exposure to insecticides may induce hematoxicity. This research is appertaining to the possible property of ferulic acid, utilized as nutritional supplement, to mitigate oxidative stress process caused via dimethoate. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into six groups, randomly (six animal each). Animals were treated orally via gavage with ferulic acid (30 mg/kg body weight, everyday for 28 days) prior to treatment of low or high doses of dimethoate (3 mg/kg body weight, everyday for 28 days 1/100 LD50 and 30 mg/ kg body weight, everyday for 4 weeks 1/10 LD50, respectively). Results: Exposuring rats to dimethoate for 4 weeks contributed oxidative stress process with a rise in malondialdehyde levels of rats’ erythrocytes. Also, treatment of dimethoate induced alterations in antioxidant defence system of erythrocytes replaced these chemicals in agricultural control. The present findings indicate that ferulic acid may amelierate dimethoate-caused oxidative stress process and DNA damage by altering antioxidant defense system and decreasing lipid peroxidation