Research Article
Palanisamy Sankar, Avinash
Abstract
Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used worldwide in agriculture, home pest control and as an ectoparasiticide in animals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of piperine, a natural alkaloid compound, to attenuate subacute cypermethrin-induced changes in serum biochemical markers and lipid peroxidation, and alteration in antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver and kidney of rats. The rats were divided into five groups of six each; the first group served as control and second group was used as vehicle control. While, groups III, IV and V were orally treated with piperine (50 mg/kg body weight), cypermethrin (25 mg/kg body weight) and cypermethrin plus piperine, respectively for 28 days. Cypermethrin administration caused elevated levels of biochemical markers in serum and lipid peroxidation in liver and kidney. While the activities of non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants levels were decreased except superoxide dismutase in liver and kidney. Administration of piperine along with cypermethrin significantly decreased the level of lipid peroxidation and significantly increased the reduced glutathione, catalse and glutathione peroxidase level both in liver and kidney. The results indicate that piperine ameliorate the cypermethrin induced biochemical alterations and oxidative damage in rats.