ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) on urine superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to 2×2 factorial analysis, 60 adult male SD rats were randomized into 10 groups (n=6), including a control group (fed with sesame oil), 3 DBP groups (fed with DBP at the doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg), 3 DEHP groups (with DEHP at 50, 150, and 450 mg/kg), and 3 DBP+DEHP groups (with 30 mg/kg DBP+50 mg/kg DEHP, 100 mg/kg DBP+150 mg/kg DEHP, and 300 mg/kg DBP +450 mg/kg DEHP). The agents were administered in a single dose through gavage in a volume of 2 ml. After the treatments, the 24, 48, 72, and 96 h urine samples were collected to determine the SOD activity and MDA content.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>DBP and DEHP, either alone or in combination, significantly decreased SOD activity and increased MDA content in the urine collected at 24 h but not at the other time points. Such changes were gradually reversed with time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DBP or DEHP treatment alone can result in significant oxidative damage in the kidney of rats, and the toxic effect of the combined exposure is even more obvious.</p>