OBJECTIVETo study the time dependent antioxidation changes of serum and sciatic nerve in rats intoxicated with acrylamide.

METHODSMale Wistar rats weighing 180 to 220 g were given acrylamide dissolved in physiological saline (40 mg/kg ip 3 days/week). The control groups received normal saline. The gait was observed and antioxidant indexes of rat serum and sciatic nerve were determined on 0, second, fourth, sixth, 10th week.

RESULTSWith the extension of the intoxication period, compared with the control, the contents of glutathione in serum and sciatic nerve gradually decreased (P < 0.05; after 6 and 10 weeks to 92% and 77%; after 2, 4, 6 and 10 weeks to 92%, 82%, 67% and 66%); the levels of malondialdehyde gradually increased (P < 0.05; after 4, 6 and 10 weeks to 113%, 118% and 120%; after 4, 6 and 10 weeks to 153%, 167%, 174%); the abilities of the resistance to reactive oxygen species gradually decreased (P < 0.05; after 10 weeks to 82%; after 6 and 10 weeks to 76% and 71%); the activities of glutathione peroxidase gradually increased (P < 0.05; after 2, 4, 6 and 10 weeks to 122%, 130%, 160% and 124%; after 4, 6 and 10 weeks to 134%, 152% 164%); the activities of glutathione reductase increased at early stage (P < 0.01; after 4 and 6 weeks to 300% and 217%; after 4 weeks to 142%) and decreased later (P < 0.01; 6 and 10 weeks to 59% and 33% in sciatic nerve); the activities of superoxide dismutase increased primitively (P < 0.05; after 2 weeks to 110%; after 4 weeks to 124%) and decreased later (P < 0.05; after 10 weeks to 85% in serum). The changes of antioxidant indexes in serum and sciatic nerve according to gait score were similar. The level of MDA in serum was in high correlation (P < 0.01) with that in sciatic nerve. The regression coefficients were 0.99 and 0.96 according to the administration time and gait score respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe changes of the antioxidant indexes in serum and sciatic nerve of rat treated with acrylamide are time dependent. The changes in serum and sciatic nerve are similar but those in sciatic nerve are more remarkable.