EFFECT OF NICOTINE ON SUPEROXIDE DISMUTAGE, XANTHINE OXIDASE AND CATALASE ACTIVITIES IN THE SKELETAL MUSCLE FIBERS OF ALBINO RAT

摘要

Nicotine, a pharamacologically active substance in cigarette smoke, has been identified as a major risk factor in humans. Nicotine has been reported to induce oxidative stress both in vivo and in vitro. Present study was undertaken to examine the effects of nicotine on the antioxidant defense systems in the skeletal muscle fibres types (Type I, Type II) of albino rats. The animals were divided into three groups of six animals each, control, Exptl.l and 2 animals received subcutaneous injection of nicotine at a dose of 0.5 mg /kg (Exptl.1), 1 mg/kg (Exptl. 2)/kg body weight (5 days a week, for 8 weeks). The animals were sacrificed at 20 hrs after the last treatment, and soleus (Type I), red vastus, white vastus (Type II) muscle fibers were isolated and analyzed. Nicotine has significantly depleted the rat muscle fibres such as SOD, XOD and CAT contents, indicating that this agent induced oxidative injury in the muscle fibers of rat.