ABSTRACT
Arsenic (As) is a worldwide immunotoxic agent that is in contaminated waters and consumed by mammals. Phytotherapy may counteract its harmful effects. Lantana grisebachii Stuck (LG, Verbenaceae) and its extract are proposed as protective, given vvits in vitro bioactivity. The aim was to determine the protective capacity of the aqueous LG extract on splenocytes exposed in vivo to arsenic. Splenocytes were obtained from an arsenicosis model (Wistar rats consuming orally 0 [control; C] or 5 mg/Kg/d of As) that received 0–100 mg/Kg/d of LG extract for 30 days. As content (total reflection X-ray fluorescence), fatty acid profile (gas chromatography), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity (Szasz method), peroxides (xylenol orange-based assay), and nitrites (Griess reaction) were then assayed in viable splenocytes. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and the Tukey's test (p < .05). It was observed that the splenocytes contained 2.2 mg/Kg of this elemental arsenic. With γ-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibition and consequent triggering of hydroperoxides (p < .05), it was observed to increase saturated fatty acids and alter lipid profiles. LG treatment avoided damaging effects with values similar to unexposed C (p < .05), and cellular arsenic concentration (p < .0001). In conclusion, the aqueous extract of L. grisebachii counteracted arsenic toxicity in rat splenocytes by preventing its cellular accumulation and induction of lipid and redox disturbances, which may impair immune function.
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The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.
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Sabina I. Ramos Elizagaray
Sabina I. Ramos Elizagaray, M.D. from the National University of Cordoba (Argentina), is a physician (Health Ministry of Buenos Aires, Argentina), who works in arsenic immunotoxicology and its modulation by dietary compounds.
Patricia L. Quiroga
Patricia L. Quiroga, Ph.D. in Health Sciences, is a Professor of Cellular Biology, Histology and Embryology (Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Cordoba, Argentina), who works in lipidomics.
Roberto D. Pérez
Roberto D. Pérez, Ph.D. in Physics, is a Professor of the Faculty of Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics (National University of Cordoba, Argentina) and a Researcher of the National Council of Scientific and Technical Researches (CONICET, Argentina), who develops X-ray-based non-conventional analytical techniques.
Carlos Sosa
Carlos Sosa, Ph.D. in Physics, is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Faculty of Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics (National University of Cordoba, Argentina), who studies micro-XRF spectrometry.
Carlos A. Pérez
Carlos A. Pérez, Ph.D. in Physics, is a Researcher of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Brazil), who investigates the use of X-ray analytical methods for trace elements in biological tissues and other systems.
Guillermina A. Bongiovanni
Guillermina A. Bongiovanni, Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences, is a Professor of the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences (National University of Comahue, Argentina) and a Researcher of the National Council of Scientific and Technical Researches (CONICET, Argentina), who develops biotechnological processes to obtain natural chemopreventive antioxidants.
Elio A. Soria
Elio A. Soria, M.D. Ph.D. in Medicine and Surgery, is a Professor of Cellular Biology, Histology and Embryology (Faculty of Medical Sciences, National University of Cordoba, Argentina) and a Researcher of the National Council of Scientific and Technical Researches (CONICET, Argentina), who investigates the health effects of phytochemicals.