Impact of static electric field on prooxidant-antioxidant balance in rats

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to estimate the influence of long-term, whole-body exposure of rats to strong, static electric field with physical parameters generated nearby high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines on the intensity of reactive oxygen species generation analyzed indirectly, basing on the measurement of malone dialdehyde level, as well as on the activity of enzymatic antioxidant defence system. Design/methodology/approach - In rats exposed to static electric field with intensity of 16, 25 and 35 kV/m, respectively, or sham-exposed eight hours daily for 56 days, in the obtained plasma, erythrocytes lysates and liver homogenates the activity of some antioxidant enzymes as well as the concentration of malone dialdehyde were determined with use of spectrophotometric and kinetic methods. Findings - It was observed that long-term exposure of rats to static electric field causes only temporary compensatory changes in the concentration of malone dialdehyde and transient changes in the activity of enzymatic antioxidant system, both in blood and in liver tissue in the form of temporary inhibition of activity of most antioxidant enzymes during exposure cycle, with subsequent compensatory increase in this activity after the end of exposure cycle, enabling maintenance of prooxidant-antioxidant balance in the organism of experimental animals and inhibition of peroxidation process. Practical implications - Presented data indicate that construction of air HVDC transmission lines, according to actual compulsory regulations, enables serious health hazards related to persistent disturbances of prooxidant-antioxidant balance to be avoided. Originality/value - In the experiment it was confirmed, for the first time, that long-term exposure to strong static electric field causes transient compensatory changes of prooxidant-antioxidant balance in living organisms.