Subacute chlorpyrifos-induced alterations in serum lipids and some oxidative stress biomarkers in male Wistar rats: beneficial effect of acetyl-L-carnitine

Abstract

The present study evaluated the beneficial effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) on subacute chlorpyrifos (CPF)-induced alterations in serum lipid profiles and some biomarkers of oxidative stress in Wistar rats. Twenty-eight adult male rats divided into four groups of seven animals each (group I–IV) were used: I (S/oil) received soya oil (2 ml kg⁻¹), II (ALC) received ALC (300 mg kg⁻¹); III (CPF) received CPF (8.5 mg kg⁻¹ ∼ 1/10th LD₅₀); IV (ALC+CPF) was pretreated with ALC (300 mg kg⁻¹) and then exposed to CPF (8.5 mg kg⁻¹), 30 min later. The treatment was orally for 28 days duration. Sera obtained from blood samples were evaluated for the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), malondialdehyde (MDA), and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The levels of low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-c), and atherogenic index (AI) were calculated. The result showed that elevated levels of TG, TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c, AI, and MDA, and the decreased levels of HDL-c, CAT, and SOD induced by CPF were modulated by ALC. It was concluded that ALC ameliorated the alterations in serum lipid and oxidative stress induced by CPF exposure in the rats, partly through its antioxidant properties.

Keywords:

• lipid peroxidation
• acetyl-L-carnitine
• chlorpyrifos
• antioxidant
• pesticide
• lipid profile
• triglyceride
• total cholesterol
• organophosphate