Objective: To investigate the level of malondiadehyde (MDA), antisuperoxide anion and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in liver of rats poisoned by nickel carbonyl in order to discuss the mechanism of acute nickel carbonyl poisoning.
Methods: Healthy SD rats were intoxicated acutely by different concentrations of nickel carbonyl (20, 135 and 250mg/m3 for low, middle and high dose groups, respectively). SD rats inhaled by chlorine (250mg/m3 for chlorine group) were used as positive control group and other healthy SD rats as normal control group. Liver of animals was taken at different time points after exposure. The levels of MDA, iNOS and antisuperoxide anion were detected by biochemical assay.
Results: The contents of MDA and antisuperoxide anion in the liver of high dose group were significantly higher than that of other exposed groups and control group (P < 0.01). The contents of iNOS in middle and high dose group were higher than that in low dose group and control group (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The oxidative damage in the liver of SD rats could be induced by carbonyl nickel in air with increasing concentrations and in an obvious dose-response relationships.