Effects of complementary zinc on antioxidase in brain of rats irradiated by microwave

    CHEN Yaoª²Ming, CHEN Jingª²Yuan, LIU Xiuª²Hong, LUO Wenª²Jing, WANG Qiang, XU Hui, ZHENG Gang, DU Keª²Jun

    Department of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, School of Preventive Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the effects of zinc on the oxidative damage in the brain of microwaveª² irradiated rats. METHODS: Forty SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: Group 1 (control group), group 2 (irradiation and deionized water), group 3 (Zinc) and group 4 (irradiation and highª²zinc water, 0.222 g/L. Fifteen days later, rats in groups 2 and 4 were exposed to microwave (30 mW/cm2 1 h per day) for 7 days. All the rats were sacrificed and the content of MDA and activities of SOD, CAT and MAO in the brain were detected. RESULTS: The MDA level in the brain of the rats in groups 3 and 4 was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). No significant difference in the SOD activity in the brain of the rats was observed between 4 groups (P<0.05). The CAT activity decreased significantly in the brain of group 4 compared with that in the control group (P<0.05). The MAO activity markedly increased in groups 2, 3 and 4 in comparison with that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Microwave exposure significantly induces lipid peroxidation in the brain of rats. Complementary zinc in rats exerts no inhibition on the oxidative stress, and aggravates the oxidative injury in the brain of rats exposed to microwave. ......