Effect of zinc supplementation on antioxidant status in rats fasciolosis

Abstract

Recent research indicates that parasitic infections with high tolerance of the host are the result of defence mechanisms which include enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species. Many antioxidant defences depend on micronutrients or are micronutrients themselves. Studies on most micronutrients are complicated by the fact that the nutrient is multifunctional. Zinc deficiency is likely to affect a number of different enzyme systems. The study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of zinc on the enzymes and trace elements, involved in oxidative stress induced in rat liver infected with Fasciola hepatica. Forty male Wistar rata were divided into 4 groups: 1 st- control, 2nd- control and treated with 2Gly.ZnCI2.2H20, 3rd- infected experimentally with F. hepatica and 4th- infected experimentally with F. hepatica and treated with 2Gly.ZnCI2.2H20. Rats were infected orally with 25 metacercariae of F. hepatica. The effect of 2Gly.ZnCI2.2H20 treatment on rat liver antioxidant enzymes fcata1ase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-S-transferase (G-S-T)f and trace elements (Zn, Mn, Se, Co, Fe) was studied under conditions of experimental fasciolosis. Enzymes and trace elernents were determined in the rat livers 4 and 8 weeks post-infection (wpi) spectrophotometrically. CuZn-SOD, GPx, GR and G-S-Tactivity was decreased, and only CATwas increased at the acute and chronic stage of the infection. Zn treatment resulted in a significant elevation lo the activity of CuZo-SOD and a reduction of already raised activity of CAT during the infection. It was siso observed that concentrations of Zn, Cu, Se, Mn and Fe decreased 4 wpi. The reduction of Zn, Mo and Cu was again established st 8 wpi, but the leveis of Zn and Mn returned to within normal limits when Zn was administered. Changes observed in the antioxidant parameters of rats infected with F. hepatica suggest a reduction in antioxidant potential leading to enhanced oxidative stress. This study concludes that Zn has a potential to regulate the activities of antioxidant enzymes as well as essential hepatic elements during fasciolosis.