Oxidative stress induced in mice by toxin of oscillatoria brevis (kütz)‎ collected from Suez fresh water canal

Abstract EN

Oscillatoria brevis (O.

brevis) is known to produce off-flavor problems and toxins in water supply, O.

brevis was collected from Suez freshwater canal during algal bloom condition and was grown in blue green medium (BG-11) under laboratory conditions.

The adverse physiological effects of cyanobacterial toxin were studied in mice weighing (25-33g).

Animals were intraperitoneally injected with 0.1μg/g body wieght of O.

brevis crude extract for 5 consecutive days while control animals were injected with saline solution.

Mice were then slaughtered and blood samples were collected for evaluating hematological parameters and investigating oxidative stress as well.

Reduced glutathione (GSH) was analyzed in both blood and liver while superoxide dismutase (SOD) level was determined in red blood cells.

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, urea and creatinine levels, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) activities and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were estimated for studying the pathological effects on liver, kidney and heart functions.

The results revealed a highly significant decrease of hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC).

A significant decrease was also noticed in SOD activity.

On the contrary, the levels of GSH and lipid peroxidation were significantly increased.

In the same time, the levels of transaminases, creatinine and urea were greatly increased indicating impairment of liver and kidney functions.

The significant increase of both CPK and LDH activity in the serum of treated animals points out the toxicity of the studied cyanobacterium on the heart.