OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on urine superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in rats.

METHODSAccording to 2×2 factorial analysis, 60 adult male SD rats were randomized into 10 groups (n=6), including a control group (fed with sesame oil), 3 DBP groups (fed with DBP at the doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg), 3 DEHP groups (with DEHP at 50, 150, and 450 mg/kg), and 3 DBP+DEHP groups (with 30 mg/kg DBP+50 mg/kg DEHP, 100 mg/kg DBP+150 mg/kg DEHP, and 300 mg/kg DBP +450 mg/kg DEHP). The agents were administered in a single dose through gavage in a volume of 2 ml. After the treatments, the 24, 48, 72, and 96 h urine samples were collected to determine the SOD activity and MDA content.

RESULTSDBP and DEHP, either alone or in combination, significantly decreased SOD activity and increased MDA content in the urine collected at 24 h but not at the other time points. Such changes were gradually reversed with time.

CONCLUSIONDBP or DEHP treatment alone can result in significant oxidative damage in the kidney of rats, and the toxic effect of the combined exposure is even more obvious.

Animals ; Dibutyl Phthalate ; toxicity ; Diethylhexyl Phthalate ; toxicity ; Environmental Pollutants ; toxicity ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Male ; Malondialdehyde ; urine ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superoxide Dismutase ; metabolism ; urine