Effects of endosulfan on intestinal functions in protein-malnourished rats.

In rats fed 18% protein diet, administration of endosulfan (2mg/kg body weight daily for 7 days) significantly decreased the brush border sialic acid and increased the hexoses contents. The intestinal uptake of glucose was increased while that of glycine and calcium was reduced. Brush border enzymes and lipids were not affected. However, in protein malnourished rats (fed 8% protein) exposed to endosulfan, brush border sucrase and peptidase activities were enhanced, while alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased compared to untreated malnourished animals. Membrane sialic acid content was low while fucose and cholesterol levels were augmented in endosulfan fed malnourished animals. The uptake of glucose and glycine was elevated under these conditions. These results Suggest that the nutritional status of the animals has an important bearing on thc susceptibility of intestinal tissue to endosulfan toxicity in rats.

Age related effects of organochlorine insecticide lindane on intestinal brush border membrane in rats.

The effect of oral administration of lindane (gamma-HCH) has been studied on the intestine in 10-day, 20-day and 100-day old rats. In 10 day-old suckling pups exposed to lindane, there was a significant decrease in the activities of sucrase (29%), lactase (20%) and that of alkaline phosphatase (24%) compared to control. Sialic acid content of the brush borders was significantly decreased (29%) in 10-day old as well as in 20- and 100-day old rats (20 and 25% respectively), while fucose content of the membranes was significantly enhanced in all the age groups upon pesticide treatment. Among the brush border lipids, cholesterol content was significantly increased in all the age groups studied, the maximum increase of 35% being observed in 10-day-old rats. Membrane phospholipids were also increased in 20- and 100-day old animals (22% each) on lindane exposure. The present studies indicated that brush border membranes of suckling rat intestine were more susceptible to pesticide induced changes compared to older animals.

Isatin (2,3-dioxoindole): a competitive inhibitor of Na(+)-dependent lysine uptake in rat instestine.

Isatin (2,3-dioxoindole) competitively inhibited (27-40%) Na(+)-dependent L-lysine uptake in rat intestine. The value of Kt was increased from 3.04 mM in control to 5.88 mM in presence of 10 mM isatin. Effect of isatin on the Na(+)-independent amino acid uptake was insignificant (12-18%). The inhibitory constant (Ki) was 2.8 mM under these conditions. The observed inhibition was unaffected by -SH group reacting agents. Isatin (1-10 mM) inhibited Na+, K(+)-ATPase activity in intestine in vitro, the maximum inhibition (66%) being at 10 mM isatin concentration. But the drug had no effect on enzyme activity under in vivo conditions.

In vivo effects of isatin on certain enzymes, lipids & serotonergic system of rat brain.

Isatin (10 microM) strongly inhibited the activity of rat brain monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) in vitro. At millimolar concentrations (1-10 mM) it inhibited brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and sodium, potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na+, K(+)-ATPase) activity also. However, isatin did not affect these enzymes after both acute and chronic treatments in vivo. Administration of isatin to rats at 300 mg/kg body weight for 2 and 6 h significantly raised brain serotonin levels. Chronic treatment for 20 days resulted in enhanced brain glycolipids and plasmalogen levels. There was no change in the levels of 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid (5 HIAA), phospholipids, cholesterol and gangliosides under these conditions.

Inhibition of brush border sucrase by indoline 2,3-dione (isatin) in rat small intestine.

Isatin (15-25 mM) inhibited rat brush border sucrase by 40% in presence of Na+ and the inhibition was enhanced to over 60% in sodium free medium. Sucrase inhibition by isatin was dependent on pH. Kinetic analysis revealed a pure capacity type (Vmax-effect) inhibition of sucrase activity by isatin in presence of sodium. But it changed to affinity type (K-effect) in sodium free medium. The value of Ki was around 20-25 mM under these conditions. Enzyme inhibition by isatin was alleviated by increasing Na+ or sucrose concentrations. Other monovalent cations like K+, Li+ and Cs+ were also effective in restoring the enzyme activity to control levels. The effectiveness of the metal ions in alleviating the enzyme inhibition was in the order of Na+ > Cs+ > K+ > Li+.

Inhibition of rabbit intestinal brush border sucrase by indolin 2,3-dione (isatin) at pH 5.0.

Isatin (10 mM) inhibited the activity of rabbit brush border sucrase by 60% at pH 5.0 but it had no effect on enzyme activity around neutral pH. Isatin inhibition of sucrase was unaffected by Na+ ions but K+ and Cs+ ions reduced enzyme inhibition, partially. Kinetic analysis revealed that sucrase inhibition by isatin at acidic pH was non-competitive with Ki of the order 6.5-7.8 mM. Isatin together with 4 mM harmaline or iodoacetate (3 mM) or dithionitrobenzene (2 mM) yielded 80-85% inhibition of the enzyme. These observations suggest that inhibitory sites for isatin, harmaline and -SH group reacting agents are distinct in rabbit brush border sucrase.

Effect of administration of isatin on alkaline phosphatase of various organs of rat.

In vivo administration of isatin (200 mg/kg) significantly lowered the activity of rat kidney alkaline phosphatase after 5 hr but enhanced the activity of rat duodenal and jejunal enzyme after 2 and 5 hr (P less than 0.01). The increased activity of the duodenal and jejunal alkaline phosphatase might be due to the induction of the enzyme by isatin.