AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF MOLE, ZNONP AND MOLEZNONP ON AS-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS

Arsenic is a serious environmental toxicant, exposure to which causes numerous adverse health effects. Moringa oleifera (MOLE) leaf extract and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) are known for their antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. This study was designed to evaluate the potential of MOLE and/or ZnONP against arsenic-induced toxicity in liver and kidney. Swiss mice were divided into seven groups and treated orally with saline, sodium arsenite (10 mg/kg b.wt/day), MOLE (300 mg/kg). MOLE, ZnONP, and MOLE-ZnONP were effective in preventing arsenicinduced oxidative stress in liver and kidney, as evidenced by decreased levels of malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, and H2O2, and increased levels of glutathione and total antioxidant capacity. These treatments also reduced arsenic-induced apoptosis, as determined by decreased caspase-3 activity and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Additionally, the treatments ameliorated arsenic-induced changes in gene expression, as evidenced by upregulation of metallothione. MOLE and MOLE-ZnONP were more effective than ZnONP alone in preventing arsenic-induced toxicity. This was likely due to the combined effects of the antioxidant properties of MOLE and the detoxification properties of ZnONP. Overall, the results of this study suggest that MOLE, ZnONP, and MOLE-ZnONP may be effective treatments for arsenic-induced toxicity. However, further research is needed to determine the optimal dosage and duration of treatment. The combined treatment of MOLEZnONP may have additional benefits over the individual treatments. This is likely due to the synergistic effect of the two compounds. For example, MOLE enhances the uptake of ZnONP, and ZnONP protects MOLE from degradation. This suggests that MOLE-ZnONP may be a more effective treatment than either compound alone.