title: The role of nitric oxide in paraquat-induced oxidative stress in rat striatum.
abstract: The role of nitric oxide (NO) in paraquat (PQ)-induced neurotoxicity is still not fully understood. In this study we used NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a non-selective nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, in order to examine the effects of NO, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lipid peroxidation (LPO) development during PQ-mediated neurotoxicity. Oxidative stress development in the striatum of Wistar rats intrastriatally (i.s.) poisoned with PQ (and in some cases pre-treated with L-NAME) was investigated by measuring superoxide anion (O2.-), malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrate (NO3-), 30 min, 24 hours and 7 days after treatment. L-NAME pre-treatment provided the possibility to distinguish the role of ROS from reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in oxidative stress development induced by PQ. Our results confirm the involvement of NO in PQ-mediated neurotoxicity and reduced LPO by L-NAME pre-treatment implying that the latter has a protective role.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Toxicology Academic D. Soldatovic, Faculty of Pharmacy, Belgrade University, Vojvode Stepe 450, 11221 Belgrade, Serbia. mirjana.djukic@pharmacy.bg.ac.yu
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Djukic
authors.forename: Marijana Curcic
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jovanovic
authors.forename: Milica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ninkovic
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vasiljevic
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jovanovic
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005609:Free Radicals; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010269:Paraquat / Q000633:toxicity; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005609:Free Radicals; D006540:Herbicides; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D010269:Paraquat; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester