Chelating efficacy of CaNa(2) EDTA on nickel-induced toxicity in Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) through its effects on glutathione peroxidase, reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation.

In this age of modern biology, aquatic toxicological research has provided potential tools for ecotoxicologic investigations. Heavy metals primarily affect protein structures and induce a stress in the organisms. The present investigation was carried out to assess the effect of nickel chloride on the selected organs of the freshwater fish Cirrhinus mrigala and how CaNa(2) EDTA counters its effects as an antidote. Toxicity experiments were conducted for different exposure periods and also in certain tissues namely gill, liver, kidney and muscle. The total protein content, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and lipid peroxidation were found to be decreased in the nickel chloride treated tissues and the treatment with CaNa(2) EDTA+nickel chloride returned to near normal levels. Histopathological observations also revealed that after the administration of nickel chloride+CaNa(2) EDTA the chelator induced reduction in nickel toxicity. It has also contributed towards reduction in the pathological damage, thus enabling the organs to attain their near normal histological appearance. The present study shown that CaNa(2) EDTA is an effective chelating agent for the removal of nickel and it has proved efficient in restoring both the biochemical variables and pathological features immediately after a sub lethal exposure of nickel chloride in fish.

Non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant variations in tender and mature leaves of Strychnos nux-vomica L. (Family: Loganiaceae).

In the present investigation, Strychnos nux-vomica, an important plant used in traditional medicine, was evaluated for its antioxidant potential. The antioxidant potentials were examined in terms of non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules and activities of antioxidant enzymes. The non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules studied were ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol and reduced glutathione. The estimated antioxidant enzymes were superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. The analyses were carried out in the field-collected leaf samples. It was found that plant contained a significant quantity of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants in the leaves. These findings have high significance in the pharmacological industry; however, a detailed investigation is needed to confirm this conclusion, by radical scavenging ability, which is underway in our laboratory.