Uloga kompleksa germanija s L-cysteinom i α-tokoferolom kao stimulatora antioksidativnog obrambenog sustava štakora izloženih gama-zračenju

This study was conducted to evaluate the potency of the newly prepared germanium L-cysteine α-tocopherol complex [germanium dichloro tetrakis (L-cysteinyl-α-tocopherol amide) dichloride] as a protective agent against γ-irradiation-induced free radicals production and liver toxicity. Male Swiss albino rats were injected intraperitoneally with the germanium complex in a concentration of 75 mg kg-1 body mass per dose, for 6 successive doses, last dose administered twenty minutes pre-exposure to a single dose of whole body γ-irradiation of 6.5 Gy. Lipid peroxidation (LPx), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione (GSH) levels, and activity of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) were estimated in blood and liver, and blood total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride and α-tocopherol content were estimated as well. The results revealed that administration of germanium complex pre-irradiation resulted in significant (p < 0.001) improvement compared to the irradiated group in the level of hepatic and blood LPx. Hepatic GSH revealed a significant increase (p < 0.001), while its level showed no significant variation in blood. Also, the level of NO in blood and liver increased significantly (p < 0.001). On the other hand, pretreatment with the germanium complex normalized the activities of SOD, GPx and CAT in blood and liver when compared to the irradiated group. The study also documents a marked decrease in the blood triglyceride and cholesterol (p < 0.001); and significant increase (p < 0.001) of -tocopherol and total protein contents in blood. These biochemical changes were associated with marked improvement of histological status. Therefore, the germanium L-cysteine α-tocopherol complex may be a good candidate for ameliorating the changes induced by irradiation, which indicates the beneficial radio-protective role of this antioxidant agent.U radu je procjenjivan kompleks germanija s L-cisteinom i α-tokoferolom [germanijev diklortetrakis (L-cisteinil-α-tokoferol amid) diklorid] kao zaštitno sredstvo protiv slobodnih radikala induciranih γ-zračenjem hepatotoksičnosti. Mužjacima švicarskih albino štakora davan je intraperitonealno kompleks germanija, u 6 sukcesivnih doza po 75 mg kg-1 tjelesne mase, posljednja doza dana je dvadeset minuta prije izlaganja cijelog organizma jednokratnoj dozi γ-ozračivanja od 6,5 Gy. U krvi i jetri praćena je razina lipidne peroksidacije (LPx), dušikovog(II) oksida (NO), glutationa (GSH), aktivnost antioksidativnih enzima glutation peroksidaze (GPx), superoksid dismutaze (SOD) i katalaze (CAT), te količina ukupnih proteina u krvi, kolesterola, triglicerida i α-tokoferola. Rezultati su pokazali da je primjena germanijevog kompleksa značajno (p < 0,001) poboljšala koncentraciju jetrenih i krvnih LPx. Koncentracija GSH u jetri je značajno porasla (p < 0,001), dok se njegova razina u krvi nije značajno promijenila. Koncentracija NO u krvi i jetri značajno se smanjila (p < 0,001). S druge strane, prethodna obrada s kompleksom germanija normalizirala je aktivnost SOD, GPx i CAT u krvi i jetri u odnosu na ozračenu skupinu. Istraživanja su također pokazala značajno smanjenje triglicerida i kolesterola (p < 0,001) i značajno povećanje (p < 0,001) alfa-tokoferola i ukupnih proteina u krvi. Te biokemijske promjene su povezane s izraženim poboljšanjem histoloških promjena u odnosu na ozračenu skupinu. Opisani kompleks germanija mogao bi se kao antioksidativno sredstvo potencijalno upotrijebiti za spriječavanje promjena uzrokovanih zračenjem