Oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity of Rana chensinensis exposed to low doses of octylphenol

This study investigated the effects of low doses of octylphenol (OP) on the oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity in amphibian liver. The frog, Rana chensinensis, were exposed to 10−8, 10−7, 10−6 mol/L OP for 10, 20 and 30 days. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in liver were reduced at first, then recovered slightly, and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were increased significantly. Histopathology showed that in some liver tissues of OP treated frogs, the hematococoel expansion, the fat accumulation, the cytoplasmic vacuolization and even hepatocyte necrosis were present. Ultrastructure revealed that there were lipid droplet accumulation, mitochondria deformation and nuclear condensation in some hepatocytes. These results confirm that low doses OP exposure can give rise to oxidative stress in the liver of frogs, reduce antioxidant enzymes activities, lead to partial organelles damage in hepatocyte and the fat accumulate in hepatic tissue.