Effects of diphenyl diselenide and diphenyl ditellurite on chicken embryo development.
Studies of our group has demonstrated that (PhSe)2 plays some pharmacologic activities. In addition, it is possible that this compound would be an alternative source of organic selenium in animal foods. However, previous works showed that diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 and diphenyl ditelluride (PhTe)2 are toxic for mammals, but their undesirable effects were never tested in avian models. Then, the present study was carried to examine the possible teratogenic effects of (PhSe)2 and (PhTe)2 on chicken embryo development. The eggs were injected with (PhSe)2 at 0, 1 and 10 nmol or with (PhTe)2 at 4 nmol. The control was injected with 10 µl of soya bean oil (vehicle). In order to determine the possible toxic effect of these chemicals, we measure the embryo dimensions, the encephalon, heart and liver weight, thiobarturic acid reactive species (TBARS) level and the δ-aminonevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) activity. (PhSe)2 and (PhTe)2 did not affect the embryo dimensions. Treatment with (PhSe)2 at 10 nmol per egg caused a increase on TBARS level and on ALA-D activity of the liver tissue, whereas (PhTe)2 decreased encephalon weight, had a tendency to increase to increase TBARS level but did not affect ALA-D activity. Taken together, these results indicate that (PhSe)2 and (PhTe)2 are slightly toxic for chicken embryos. Furthermore, (PhTe)2 caused a decrease in encephalon, which indicates its neurotoxicity. Finally, these results indicate that (PhTe)2 seems not be promissory for therapeutic applications, whereas (PhSe)2 could be of clinical and/or nutritional concern, which will be target for further researches.
Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria , Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul , Brasil.
Carlos André
CA
Prauchner
Alessandro de Souza
Ade S
Prestes
Cristina W
CW
Nogueira
João B T
JB
Rocha
D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D013723:Teratogens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D013723:Teratogens; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; C434247:diphenylditelluride; C061132:diphenyldiselenide; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid