Evaluation of the protective effects of chitosan and chitosan nanoemulsion against chlorpyrifos-induced hepatotoxicity in adult male rats"

Subject Areas : Veterinary Clinical Pathology

Prsa Bahreddin ¹ , Amir reza Karami Benari ² , Tarlan Farahvash ³ , shahin Tofangdarzadeh ⁴

1 - D.V.M. Graduate, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shab.C, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran.
2 - Assistant Professor Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shab.C, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran.
3 - Assistant Professor Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shab.C, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran.
4 - Assistant Professor, Food Packaging and Science Research Center, Shab.C, Islamic Azad University, Shabestar, Iran.

Received: 2024-12-08 Accepted : 2025-03-02 Published : 2025-05-20

Keywords: Chlorpyrifos, Chitosan, Chitosan Nanoemulsion, Hepatotoxicity, Rat.,

Abstract :

Chlorpyrifos (CHP) is an organophosphate pesticide that, in addition to inhibiting cholinesterase activity, plays a role in inducing oxidative stress. Given the liver’s critical role in detoxification, the present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of chitosan and chitosan nano-emulsion against CHP-induced hepatotoxicity in male rats. For this purpose, 48 adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four equal groups: healthy control, CHP-treated group (2 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, for 14 days), CHP + chitosan-treated group, and CHP + chitosan nano-emulsion-treated group (both chitosan treatments at a dose of 200 mg/kg orally for 14 days). After 14 days, the animals were euthanized, and liver tissues were collected for analysis. The activity of antioxidant enzymes including Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX), as well as the level of Malondialdehyde (MDA), a key marker of lipid peroxidation, were measured. Additionally, levels of inflammatory cytokines including Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) were evaluated. The results showed that CHP significantly decreased SOD and GPX activities and increased MDA levels compared to the healthy control group (p<0.05). Moreover, chitosan nano-emulsion had a greater effect than chitosan alone in enhancing GPX activity and reducing MDA levels. In the CHP group, levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α were also significantly elevated compared to controls (p<0.05). These findings suggest that chitosan, particularly in its nanoemulsion form, with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could effectively mitigate the hepatotoxic effects of CHP, including oxidative stress and inflammation, in rats.