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Oxidative stress-related lung dysfunction by chromium(VI): alleviation by Citrus aurantium L.

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Abstract

Chromium(VI), a very strong oxidant, causes high cytotoxicity through oxidative stress in tissue systems. Our study investigated the potential ability of ethanolic Citrus aurantium L., family Rutaceae extract, used as a nutritional supplement, to alleviate lung oxidative damage induced by Cr(VI). A high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer method was developed to separate and identify flavonoids in C. aurantium L. Six flavonoids were identified, as (1) poncirin, (2) naringin, (3) naringenin, (4) quercetin, (5) isosinensetin, and (6) tetramethyl-o-isoscutellarein. Adult Wistar rats, used in this study, were divided into six groups of six animals each: group I served as controls which received standard diet, group II received via drinking water K2Cr2O7 alone (700 ppm), groups III and IV were pretreated for 10 days with ethanol extract of C. aurantium L. at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg body weight/day, respectively, and then K2Cr2O7 was administrated during 3 weeks, and groups V and VI received during 10 days only C. aurantium L. ethanol extract at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg/day, respectively. Ethanol extract of C. aurantium L. was administered orally. Rats exposed to Cr(VI) showed in lung an increase in malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels and a decrease in sulflydryl content, glutathione, nonprotein thiol, and vitamins C and E levels. Decreases in enzyme activities such as in Na+K+ ATPase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase were noted. Pretreatment with C. aurantium L. of chromium-treated rats ameliorated all biochemical parameters. Lung histological studies confirmed the biochemical parameters and the beneficial role of C. aurantium L.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Miss Dalenda Kchaou for her assistance in histological techniques. This work was supported by the DGRST grants (Appui à la Recherche Universitaire de Base ARUB UR/11ES70), Tunisia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Physiology Laboratory, UR/11ES70 Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, BP1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia

    Nejla Soudani, Ibtissem Ben Amara, Afef Troudi & Najiba Zeghal

  2. Chemistry Laboratory of Natural Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, BP1171, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia

    Moez Rafrafi & Hichem Ben Salah

  3. Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia

    Ahmed Hakim & Khaled Mounir Zeghal

  4. Anatomopathology Laboratory, CHU. Habib Bourguiba, University of Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia

    Tahia Boudawara

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  1. Nejla Soudani
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Ibtissem Ben Amara and Moez Rafrafi contributed equally to this work.

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Soudani, N., Rafrafi, M., Ben Amara, I. et al. Oxidative stress-related lung dysfunction by chromium(VI): alleviation by Citrus aurantium L.. J Physiol Biochem 69, 239–253 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-012-0207-6

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