Evaluation of oxidative stress in rats (Rattus rattus) inhabiting Bathinda region of Punjab, India

Exposure to various toxic chemicals has become an increasingly recognized source of illness in human and animals, worldwide. The present study was designed to evaluate the oxidative stress in Rattus rattus inhabiting Bathinda region of Punjab. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana campus rats served as control rats. Rattus rattus were brought to laboratory and separated according to sex. The animals were dissected, vital organ excised and weighed and blood and tissues were processed for histological and biochemical studies. Relative weights of liver, heart and kidney were observed to be higher in rats collected from Bathinda as compared to the control rats. Light microscopic observations of liver and kidney sections of Bathinda rats showed many histological changes. Levels of total proteins were found to be lower in blood, liver, kidney and brain of rats collected from Bathinda region. Activities of antioxidant enzymes namely catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione transferase were reduced (p<0.05) and superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase showed significant increase and the products of oxidation namely, malondialdehyde were significantly increased (p<0.05) in liver, kidney, brain and blood of rats collected from Bathinda district as compared to control rats. The results obtained indicate that environmental contaminants might be responsible for altering antioxidant defense system and inducing oxidative stress in rats inhabiting south-west region of Punjab.