CHANGES IN OXIDATIVE STRESS PROCESSES DURING CHRONIC INTOXICATION BY VARIOUS HEAVY METALS ON THE BACKGROUND OF EXPERIMENTAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS

Abstract

In the article present the results of a study conducted to study the effect of chronic exposure to various heavy metals through drinking water on the process of oxidative stress in experimental atherosclerosis. The experiments were performed on 110 white non-linear male rats, divided into 5 groups: Group I – healthy animals (10 rats); Group II - animals with modeling atherosclerosis (10 rats); Group III - animals that, after modeling, were exposure to cadmium sulfate (30 rats), in IV - to nickel nitrate (30 rats) and in V - to cobalt nitrate (30 rats). The model of atherosclerosis was created according to I.V. Savitsky et al., based on the multifactorial theory of the development of atherosclerosis. After modeling atherosclerosis, rats were exposed to chronic heavy metals through drinking water for 60 days. Cadmium sulfate (1 mg/kg), nickel nitrate (2 mg/kg) and cobalt nitrate (2 mg/kg) were used as toxicants. The processes of oxidative stress were monitored by the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), diene conjugates (DC) and catalase (CA). The study showed that during chronic intoxication of rats with experimental atherosclerosis with various heavy metals through drinking water, there is a progressive increase in oxidative stress processes against the background of a decrease in the activity of the antioxidant system. This was evidenced by an increase in the level of MDA and DC with a parallel decrease in CA activity in the blood serum. The severity of the changes was directly proportional to the period of exposure: maximum changes were observed at the end of 60 days from the start of exposure. Pathological changes were highest in chronic poisoning with cadmium sulfate and at low levels in animals with cobalt nitrate poisoning; the toxic effect of nickel nitrate was moderate. The obtained data indicate the need to use antioxidants in complex detoxification treatment of chronic heavy metal poisoning.