The investigation of the possible protective influence of selenium on antioxidant barrier in heart of rats exposed to lithium.

Aims Selenium is an essential element possessing antioxidant properties and the treatment with it has displayed protective effects against toxicity of different substances occurring in the environment and food as well as against the side effects of some drugs. Lithium is used in medicine although numerous side effects can occur during therapy, including disturbances of the heart. For these reasons studies to find protective adjuvants have been performed. In the current study the possibility of selenium (as sodium selenite) application as a protective adjuvant in lithium treatment was studied. Main methods Male Wistar rats were treated: control — with saline; Li-group — with Li 2 CO 3 (2.7 mg Li/kg b.w.); Se-group — with Na 2 SeO 3 (0.5 mg Se/kg b.w.); Li + Se-group simultaneously with Li 2 CO 3 and Na 2 SeO 3 (2.7 mg Li/kg b.w. and 0.5 mg Se/kg b.w., respectively) by a stomach tube for a period of three weeks, once a day. In heart homogenate activities of antioxidant enzymes — catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), concentrations of low-molecular-weight antioxidants — ascorbic acid (AA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) as well as total antioxidant status (TAS) values were determined. GPx/SOD and CAT/SOD ratios were evaluated. Key findings In comparison with control selenium caused no significant changes of the studied parameters except for GPx, whereas lithium slightly disturbed TAS and markedly GPx, CAT and CAT/SOD ratio. In Li-treated rats co-administration of selenium displayed tendency towards restoring the impaired parameters. Significance The results suggest that research on selenium application as an adjuvant in lithium therapy is worthy to be continued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]