Toxicological implications of arecoline N- oxide in vivo in mice test system

Arecoline N- oxide has surfaced as a probable key player of areca nut induced maladies. However, information on the adverse effects of arecoline N- oxide in-vivo is lacking. Mice were divided into 3 groups; the control group was injected with normal saline intraperitoneally while the treatment groups were injected with arecoline N- oxide and arecoline respectively at a dosage of 20 mg/ kg body weight intraperitoneally for thirty days. At the end of the exposure period, end points indicative of toxicity were investigated. Arecoline N- oxide was found to induce DNA damage in mice bone marrow cells. Observable changes in histology of liver indicated arecoline N- oxide to be hepatotoxic. Histological studies also showed arecoline N- oxide to induce infiltration of mononuclear cells in the kidneys. Oxidative stress was induced by arecoline N- oxide in both liver and kidneys as indicated by increased level of lipid peroxidation and decreased level of glutathione, superoxide dismutase and catalase in the tissues. The present study showed arecoline N- oxide to have genotoxic, hepatotoxic and mild nephrotoxic effects in mice which might be due to generation of oxidative stress.