The investigation of the protective effect of folic acid on experimental bisphenol-A toxication in rats

Bisphenol A (BPA), in propane form, is a element which is obtained by combination of phenol and polycarbonate molecules. BPA is an important environmental pollutant and has lots of negative effects on all of living creatures especially among human beings and animals. One of these negative effects is oxidative damage. Folic acid, in the form of pteroylglutamic acid which is consisted of pterin, para-aminobenzoic acid and glutamic acid, is a group B vitamin which dissolves in water. According to the researches, folic acid is reported to be effective against reactive oxygen species. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of folic acid towards BPA induced oxidative DNA damage. For this purpose, 35 Wistar albino rats were used and rats were divided into five groups as Control, Folic acid, Cyclophosphamide, BPA and BPA+Folic acid (n=7). BPA (50 mg/kg/day) and folic acid (20 mg/kg/day) were orally given to rats for 10 days. At the end of the study, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels were analysed in the liver, kidney, brain and testicular tissue of rats. When compared with BPA group SOD and CAT activities in brain (P<0,001), GSH level and SOD activity in liver (P<0,001), GSH level, SOD and CAT activities in kidney (P<0.001, P<0.01 and P<0,01 respectively) are statistically higher in BPA+Folic acid group. When this two groups were compared according to their levels of MDA, it was stated that their MDA levels in liver, kidney and testicular tissue are significantly low in BPA+Folic acid group (P<0.001). These results showed that folic acid has prevented oxidative damage caused by BPA and it has a protective effect. Key Words: Bisphenol A, oxidative damage, folic acid, oxidant/antioxidant parameters.