Role of antioxidants and scavengers on argemone oil-induced toxicity in rats.

The role of antioxidants and scavengers on argemone oil-induced enzymatic and non-enzymatic hepatic lipid peroxidation was investigated in rats. Multiple treatment of argemone oil caused a significant stimulation of NADPH-dependent enzymatic or FeSO4 or FeSO4/ADP-or ascorbic acid-dependent non-enzymatic hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation. In vitro addition of antioxidants such as tannic acid, quercetin, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), alpha-tocopherol, riboflavin or glutathione (GSH) in the assay system resulted in significant protection against argemone oil-induced microsomal NADPH, or FeSO4/ADP-dependent lipid peroxidation. In vitro addition of scavengers of the superoxide anion (O2-.) radical and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, respectively, prevented argemone oil augmented microsomal lipid peroxidation to a lesser extent as compared to the scavengers of singlet oxygen (1O2) such as 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF), beta-carotene, and histidine or hydroxyl (OH.) radical scavengers such as ethanol, mannitol and sodium benzoate. These results suggest that primarily 1O2 and OH. radicals are involved in argemone oil-induced hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation, and that bio-antioxidant vitamins including riboflavin, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol may prove useful in reducing argemone oil-induced hepatotoxicity.