African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12501

Full Length Research Paper

Prenatal and perinatal acrylamide disrupts the development of cerebrum and medulla oblongata in albino rats

  Allam A.1*, Abdul-Hamid M.2, Zohair K3,4, Ajarem J1, Allam G2,5 and El-Ghareeb A.6  
  1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. 2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Beni-suef University, Egypt. 3Cell Biology Department, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt. 4Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. 5Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia. 6Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Egypt.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 23 March 2012
  •  Published: 10 April 2012

Abstract

 

Acrylamide is known to cause neurotoxicity in experimental animals and humans. The literature on its neurotoxic effect in adult animals is huge, but the effect of acrylamide on the embryonic and postnatal development is relatively less understood. The present study examined its effects on the development of oxidative stress of cerebrum and medulla oblongata in albino rats. Acrylamide was orally administered to non-anesthetized pregnant females by gastric intubation 10 mg/kg/day. The animals were divided into 3 groups as follows: group A - newborn from control animals, group B - newborns from mothers treated with acrylamide from day 7 (D7) of gestation till birth (prenatal intoxicated group), group C - newborns from mothers treated with acrylamide from D7 of gestation till D28 after birth (perinatally intoxicated group). Acrylamide administered either prenatally or perinatally was shown to induce significant increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidative stress (significant reductions in glutathione (GSH), total thiols, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase activities) in the developing cerebrum and medulla oblongata. The results of this study showed that prenatal and perinatal acrylamide or its metabolites disrupts the biochemical machinery, cause oxidative stress and induce structural changes in the developing rat cerebrum and medulla oblongata.

 

Key words: Acrylamide, postnatal development, cerebrum, medulla oblongata, oxidative stress.