Biochemical toxicity study on rat brain upon co-exposure to aluminium and ethanol.

ABSTRACT

Aluminium and alcohol are well known neuro toxins. Co-exposure of these neuro toxins has been studied in rats. Alcohol exposure significantly affected the aluminium content, protein content, acid phosphatase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, alanine aminotransferase activity, glutathione-S-transferase activity, and glucose 6-phosphate dehy-drogenase activity of brain. Aluminium exposure, on the other hand, contributed significantly only in the alterations of aluminium content, acid phosphatase activity, and aspartate aminotransf erase activity of brain of rats in the present study. The interaction of both aluminium intoxication and alcohol exposure is significant only in the case of acid phosphatase and glutathione-S-transferase activities of brain. Therefore, from the observations of the present investigation, it can be suggested that the general neurotoxic-ity produced by aluminium is not modified by alcohol. However, the aluminium load and oxidative stress, caused by aluminium exposure, may be influenced by alcohol co-exposure.