Thymoquinone attenuates cypermethrin induced oxidative stress in Swiss albino mice

Abstract Cypermethrin (Cyp) is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide mainly used to control household pests. Because of the widespread use of pesticides for domestic and industrial applications, evaluation of their toxic effects is of major concern to public health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible protective effects of thymoquinone (TQ), an antioxidant agent, against Cyp-induced oxidative stress in mice. Thirty Swiss Albino male mice were divided into five equal groups: the animals in the control group (vehicle treated) were given corn oil with a standard rodent diet, and the animals in the experimental groups were orally given 10 mg/kg/day Cyp alone, and with TQ at three different doses (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day) for 28 days. Cyp resulted in significant increase in serum urea, serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, lipid peroxidation and significant decrease in glucose, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, blood reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase in a dose dependent manner. However, supplementation of TQ resulted in reversal of Cyp-induced oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and activities of antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, TQ exhibited protective action against the Cyp-induced necrosis, degeneration, and loss of striation in hearts, necrosis of hepatic cells, with degeneration, dilatation of sinusoids and dissociated remark cordons in livers, sloughing off epithelial cell, shrinkage of glomeruli, and necrosis of renal tubules in kidneys of mice. During the experimental period, there were significant decreases between initial body weights and final body weights of Cyp treated mice. In conclusion, TQ is effective in protecting mice against Cyp-induced oxidative stress and enhances the antioxidant defence mechanism and regenerate of tissues in Swiss albino mice.