EFFECTS OF LEACHED POLYPROPYLENE INTO FOOD ON SERUM ENZYMATIC ANTIOXIDANTS OF NORMAL ALBINO RATS

ABSTRACTS The demand for plastics, as versatile polymers with multiple applications, has significantly increased over the years, with polypropylene (PP) being the major thermoplastics dominating the market. This study investigates the effects of polypropylene on the levels of enzymatic antioxidants in serum, specifically focusing on superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of oxidative stress. Experimental groups of rats were fed with two different formulations. Group I (Control), fed normal rat chow without exposure to polypropylene (n=10) and group II (Experimental groups) fed with normal rat chow and leached polypropylene for 30 days (n=10). The serum samples were analyzed for antioxidant enzyme activity and oxidative stress indicators. Group I exhibited SOD levels of 0.45 ± 0.29 U/ml and CAT levels of 1.00 ± 2.15 U/ml, with MDA concentration of 0.50 ± 3.11 μmol/L. In contrast, Group II showed slightly higher SOD levels (0.47 ± 1.66 U/ml), this slight increase in SOD suggests that the presence of leached polypropylene may stimulate some antioxidant activity, potentially due to increased oxidative stress but lower CAT activity (0.81 ± 1.21 U/ml), indicating that the leached polypropylene could hinder the enzymatic defense mechanism, leading to an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and a comparable MDA level (0.47 ± 1.11 μmol/L) suggesting that despite the potential oxidative challenge, the overall lipid peroxidation is not significantly elevated in this group. These findings suggest that the dietary incorporation of polypropylene may influence antioxidant enzyme activity and oxidative stress in rats, although the variations between groups were not statistically significant. Leached polypropylene influence oxidative stress markers in Experimental Group II, leading to a mixed response in antioxidant enzyme levels. These findings highlight the complex interplay between diet and oxidative stress responses in experimental models. Future research should delve deeper into the specific components influencing these metabolic responses to further elucidate their roles in oxidative stress management.