Ameliorative effect of vitamin E on aflatoxin-induced lipid peroxidation in the testis of mice

Aim: To evaluate the ameliorative effect of vitamin E on aflatoxin-induced lipid peroxidation in the testis. Methods: Adult male albino mice were oral ly administered 25 or 50 mug of aflatoxin in 0.2 mL olive oil per d for 45 d. The testis was isolated, blotted free of blood and processed for biochem ical analysis. Results: There was a dose-dependent significantly higher lip id peroxidation in the testis of aflatoxin treated mice than in the control s. The levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants such as glutathione, total and reduced ascorbic acid, as well as the activities of enzymatic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase were sig nificantly lower in the testis of aflatoxin treated mice. Vitamin E (2 mg/d per animal; orally) pretreatment significantly ameliorates the aflatoxin-i nduced lipid peroxidation which could be due to higher enzymatic and non-en zymatic antioxidants in the testis of mice as compared with those given afl atoxin alone. Conclusion: Vitamin E pretreatment significantly ameliorates aflatoxin-induced lipid peroxidation in the testis of mice.