Toxicological evaluation of chronic exposure to the organochalcogen 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(phenylseleno)oct-2-en-1-one in male rats

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chronic treatment with the organochalcogen 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(phenylseleno)oct-2-en-1-one on some behavioral and biochemical parameters in the brain, liver, kidney and serum of 90-day-old male Wistar rats. The animals received the organoselenium at doses of 125, 250 or 500 μg/kg body weight intraperitoneally once daily for 30 days. Results showed that chronic treatment with this compound induced behavioral changes in animals, such as increasing of rearing at dose of 250 μg/kg and increasing of ambulation in all concentrations tested. On the other hand, we did not observe any alterations in the body weight gain of the animals. Moreover, the activity of the enzyme creatine kinase (CK) decreased in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and kidney and increased in the liver after the chronic treatment with the organoselenium compound at dose of 500 μg/kg. The compound also increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea levels in serum of rats at 500 μg/kg. Glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels were not changed by the treatment. Our results thus show that chronic administration of 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-(phenylseleno)oct-2-en-1-one is able to significantly change the activity of CK in Wistar rats, resulting in a change in cellular energy homeostasis in these tissues, liver damage and behavioral changes in the animals studied.

► Chronic treatment with the organoselenium increases the ambulation and rearing behaviors in the open field test. ► The organochalcogen induces energy impairment in the brain, kidney and liver of rats. ► The brain is a potential target for organochalcogen action. ► The organoselenium increases aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and urea levels in serum of rats.