Effect of in vitro exposure of human serum to 3-butyl-1-phenyl-2-(phenyltelluro)oct-en-1-one on oxidative stress.

The objective of this study was to verify the effect of the organochalcogen 3-butyl-1-phenyl-2-(phenyltelluro)oct-en-1-one on some parameters of oxidative stress in human serum. Serum of volunteers were incubated for 30 min in the presence or absence of 1, 10, or 30 microM of 3-butyl-1-phenyl-2-(phenyltelluro)oct-en-1-one and oxidative stress was measured. First, we tested the influence of the compound on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(*)) radical-scavenging and verified that the organotellurium did not have any antioxidant properties. The organochalcogen was capable to enhance TBARS but the compound was not able to alter carbonyl assay. Furthermore, the organochalcogen provoked a reduction of protein thiol groups measured by the sulfhydryl assay. Moreover, the organotellurium enhanced the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase, inhibited the activity of glutathione peroxidase and did not modify the glutathione S-transferase activity. Furthermore, nitric oxide production and hydroxyl radical activity were not affected by the compound. Our findings showed that this organochalcogen induces oxidative stress in human serum, indicating that this compound is potentially toxic to human beings.