Organoselenides have been documented as promising pharmacological agents against a number of diseases associated with oxidative stress. Here we have investigated, for the first time, the potential antioxidant activity of binaphthyl diselenide ((NapSe)(2); 50 mg kg(-1), p.o.) against the 2-nitropropane (2-NP)-induced hepatoxicity in rats, using different end points of toxicity (liver histopathology, plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and creatinine). In addition, in view of the association of oxidative stress with 2-NP exposure, hepatic lipid peroxidation, ascorbic acid levels, delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) and catalase (CAT) activities were evaluated. 2-NP caused an increase of AST, ALT and hepatic lipid peroxidation. 2-NP also caused hepatic histopathological alterations and delta-ALA-D inhibition. (NapSe)(2) (50 mg kg(-1)) prevented 2-NP-induced changes in plasmatic ALT and AST activities and also prevented changes in hepatic histology, delta-ALA-D and lipid peroxidation. Results presented here indicate that the protective mechanism of (NapSe)(2) against 2-NP hepatotoxicity is possibly linked to its antioxidant activity.
2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.