Differential effects of chronic nicotine administration on markers of oxidative stress and cellular damage in male and female rats

Most studies are gender blind regarding the effects of chronic nicotine administration on oxidative stress in brain and liver. So we designed this study to determine the differential effects of chronic nicotine administration on parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in brain and liver of male and female rats as well as on liver function tests (LFTs) and lipid profile parameters. Catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain and liver were assessed in controls and nicotine treated male and female rats. Two-way analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied. Raised GSH, CAT and SOD and less MDA levels in the brain, lowered liver GSH and lipid profile but raised LFTs in females as compared to male rats were found. Significant inverse correlations were found between serum triglycerides versus both liver and brain GSH and between serum HDL versus brain MDA in nicotine treated male rats. In conclusion, oxidative stress was found to be decreased in the brain but increased in the liver in females compared to males. So the females suffered more from oxidative stress related damage to the liver cells.