Oleic acid protects against cadmium induced cardiac and hepatic tissue injury in male Wistar rats: A mechanistic study

Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible antioxidant role of oleic acid (OA) against Cd-induced injuries in the heart and liver tissues of male Wistar rats. Main methods: Rats were treated with either vehicle (control), or OA (10 mg/kg b.w., fed orally), or Cd (0.44 mg/kg b.w., s.c.), or both (OA + Cd) for 15 days. Following completion of the treatment period, biomarkers of organ damage and oxidative stress including ROS, activities of antioxidant enzymes and their level, activities of Krebs cycle enzymes and respiratory chain enzymes were measured. Levels of interleukins (IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF kappa B) were estimated to evaluate the state of inflammation. In addition, changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and status of cytochrome c (Cyt c) were also studied. Key findings: Pre-treatment of rats with OA significantly protected against Cd-induced detrimental changes possibly by decreasing endogenous ROS through regulation of antioxidant defense system, inflammatory responses and activities of metabolic enzymes. Moreover, OA was also found to restore mitochondrial membrane potential possibly by regulating Cyt c leakage thereby increasing mitochondrial viability. Significance: Our results for the first time demonstrated systematically that OA provided protection against Cd-induced oxidative stress mediated injuries in rat heart and liver tissues through its antioxidant mechanism. The results raise the possibility of using OA singly or in combination with other antioxidants or diet in the treatment of situations arising due to oxidative stress and may have future therapeutic relevance.