Abstract Non-selective contact herbicide of paraquat (PQ) is worldwide used for controlling wild plants in agriculture due to its enormous properties such as cheaper price and effective. PQ toxicity has been evidenced in involving the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).Zinc (Zn) can exert protective ability in cells due to its anti-oxidative property. This present research attempted to realize whether PQ-induced oxidative stress in erythrocyte is responsible for the alterations of Zn level together with antioxidant activity. Experimental rats were divided into four groups of 10 each and treated with a single, intraperitoneal injection of PQ at the dosages of 0, 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg, respectively. Erythrocytes were obtained via cardiac puncture after 24 h post-injection. Experimental results showed that an opposite correlation between PQ-treated dosage and Zn level were observed in erythrocytes. The oxidative biomarker of the malondialdehyde (MDA) level was increased in parallel with PQ-administrated dosage. Meanwhile, a negative correlation between PQ dosage and enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were found in the present work. Taking together, it seems likely to suggest our present findings that increased oxidative injury after paraquat exposure in erythrocytes is correlated with reduced Zn concentration and decreased enzyme activity.
Keywords Oxidative injury, Paraquat, Zinc, Malondialdehyde, Enzyme activity.