Changes in Somatosensory Evoked Potentials, Lipid Peroxidation, and Antioxidant Enzymes in Experimental Diabetes: Effect of Sulfur Dioxide

Abstract

The effect of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) on brain antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation, and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP_s) was investigated in diabetic rats. A total of 40 rats were divided into 4 equal groups: control (C), SO₂+C (SO₂), diabetic (D), and SO₂ + D (DSO₂). Experimental diabetes mellitus was induced by IV injection of alloxan at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. Ten ppm SO₂ was administered to the rats in the sulfur dioxide groups (SO₂ and DSO₂) in an exposure chamber. Exposure occurred 1 hr/day, 7 days/wk, for 6 wk; control rats were exposed to filtered air during the same time periods. Although SO₂ exposure markedly increased copper, zinc Superoxide dismutase activity, it significantly decreased glutathione peroxidase activity in both the diabetic and nondiabetic groups, compared with the C group. Brain catalase activity was unaltered; however, brain thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were elevated in all experimental groups with respect to the C group. SEP components P₁, N₁, P₂, and N₂ were significantly increased in all experimental groups, compared with the C group, and these components were also prolonged in the DSO₂ group with respect to the other groups. The authors' findings suggest that exposure to SO₂, because it increases lipid peroxidation, can change antioxidant enzyme activities and affect SEP components in diabetic rats.

Keywords:

• antioxidant status
• diabetes mellitus
• SEP_s
• SO₂
• TBARS