The effect of toluene on oxidative processes in rat blood

This study was designed to investigate the effects of toluene treat- ment on oxidative stress in rat blood. Since toluene metabolism produces re- active oxygen and nitrogen species, it was hypothesized that the toluene treat- ment would: 1) provoke changes in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, 2) impair the integrity of the cell membrane and 3) induce structural changes in the plasma proteins. Female Wistar rats were treated with toluene intraperito- nally, at a daily dose of 0.38 mmol/kg body weight for 12 days, and 5 mmol/kg body weight for 6 days, respectively, with propylene glycol as the carrier. To- luene significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity at low doses, cata- lase activity at high doses and the level of erythrocytes malondialdehyde in both treated groups when compared to the control group. The nitrite ( − 2 NO ) le- vel in both treated groups was not different from that in the control animals. Toluene caused oxidative modification of plasma proteins and, consequently, changes in the concentration of glycoproteins and lipoproteins when compared to the control group. The observed alterations indicate that toluene treatment might be involved in free radical processes.