Effects of Short Term Administration of Vitamin C on Lung Antioxidants in Cigarette Smoke Exposed Rats

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences,2012,2,4,544-547.
Published:November 2012
Type:Research Article
Authors:
Author(s) affiliations:

Sreekanth K Sivaraman1*, Bibin Tom Paul2, PT Annamala3

1Department of Biochemistry, Sree Gokulam Medical College and Research Foundation, Venjaramoodu, P.O, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. 

2Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Amala Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Amala Nagar, Thrissur, Kerala, India. 

3Department of Biochemistry, Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Jubilee Mission, P.O, Thrissur, Kerala, India.

Abstract:

Male wistar rats were exposed to cigarette smoke along with supplementation of vitamin C at two doses (100mg and 200mg/kg body wt) for a period of one month. At the end of the experiment the rats were sacrificed and blood and lung tissues were collected for evaluation of antioxidant status. The depleted levels of antioxidant enzymes like SOD and Catalase were found to be elevated after treatment with vitamin C (200mg/kg body wt) (p<0.005). The smoke exposure was also found to increase the values of lipid peroxidation, hydroperoxides and conjugated dienes. Elevated values of all these were found to become normal with the treatment of vitamin C at a dose of 200mg/kg body wt, indicating the short term beneficial effect of vitamin C as a free radical scavenger against cigarette smoke.

The values of Hb, WBC, Albumin, Total protein, SOD,