Protective role of gallic acid against fenitrothion-induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity via oxidative stress, histopathological and biochemical alterations

Abstract

Fenitrothion (FNT) is a known environmental contaminant used in public health and agriculture. Gallic acid (GA) is a phenolic compound found in numerous plants. This study analyzed the hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effects of FNT and to evaluate the possible protective effect of gallic acid. FNT (1/25 LD50, 32 mg/kg body weight/day), and gallic acid (50 mg/kg body weight/day) were administrated to male rats by gavage for 28 days. In the present study, the renal (blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and uric acid levels) and liver (albumin, total protein, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, triglyceride, lactate dehydrogenase) function markers in the blood, acetylcholinesterase activities, antioxidant enzyme activities and malondialdehyde level as markers of oxidative stress, and histopathological changes were researched in liver and kidney tissues. Additionally, while superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase activities were decreased in the liver and kidney tissue of rats treated with fenitrothion, malondialdehyde level was significantly increased. Histopathological analyses showed many injuries occurred in the renal and hepatic tissue of fenitrothion-treated animals. Also, the supplementation of gallic acid with fenitrothion significantly improved fenitrothion-induced alterations in renal and liver function markers, antioxidant enzyme activities, acetylcholinesterase activities malondialdehyde levels, and histological features of tissues.