title: Protective role of germanium-132 against paraquat-induced oxidative stress in the livers of senescence-accelerated mice.
abstract: The effects of the synthetic antioxidant germanium (Ge-132) were studied on liver oxidant damage induced by paraquat (PQ) in senescence-accelerated mice (SAM). PQ administered intravenously to SAM-P/8 (susceptible) or SAM-R/1 (resistant) mice increased liver DNA strand breakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicators of oxidant damage. Ge-132 effectively blocked the PQ-induced effects on liver DNA strand breaks and MDA levels. In addition, Ge-132 significantly elevated the activities of hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase following PQ pretreatment. Histopathologically, Ge-132 inhibited PQ-induced hepatic mitochondrial injury in both strains, but more effectively in the susceptible strain. Data suggest that Ge-132 may be useful as an antioxidant in view of its ability to prevent PQ-induced hepatic oxidant injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Science, College of Natural Sciences, Chosun University, Dong-ku, Kwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004249:DNA Damage; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005857:Germanium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006540:Herbicides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010269:Paraquat / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D011422:Propionates; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D006540:Herbicides; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D005857:Germanium; C066750:propagermanium; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010269:Paraquat