Investigation of the effects of folic acid and ellagic acid in ochratoxin A toxication

Ochratoxin A (OTA) causes acute, subacute and chronic poisoning in animals and human. OTA is a mycotoxin with strong nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, teratogenic, carcinogenic etc. effects. In our study, the effects of folic acid and ellagic acid on OTA toxicity were investigated by gavage for 28 days in Wistar albino rats. In the control, OTA (210 μg/kg/day), folic acid (20 mg/kg/day), ellagic acid (10 mg/kg/day), OTA + folic acid and OTA + ellagic acid groups; body weight changes, liver and kidney tissue relative weights, serum some biochemical parameters of liver and kidney tissues were analyzed. Liver and kidney tissues and blood, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, DNA damage in lymphocytes (comet) and serum OTA levels were evaluated. It was determined that body weights increased significantly in all experimental groups. Compared to the control group, liver relative weights were significantly reduced in the OTA + folic acid and OTA + ellagic acid groups and renal relative weights in the OTA + ellagic acid group (P˂0,001). Alanin aminotransferaz and aspartat aminotransferaz values were significantly lower in the OTA and OTA + ellagic acid groups (P˂0,001, P˂0,01, respectively) than the control group, and were closer to the control in the OTA + folic acid group. Urea levels decreased significantly in the OTA + folic acid and OTA + ellagic acid groups (P˂0.01) compared with the control and OTA groups. Liver MDA levels were significantly decreased (P˂0.01) in OTA + folic acid and OTA + ellagic acid groups compared to OTA group. SOD and CAT activity and GSH levels in the kidneys were significantly increased in OTA + folic acid and OTA + ellagic acid groups compared to OTA group (P˂0,01, P˂0,05, P˂0,001, respectively). MDA levels in the kidneys were significantly decreased in the OTA + ellagic acid group compared to OTA group (P˂0.001). As a result of the comet analysis, DNA damage was found to be significantly higher in OTA and OTA + folic acid groups in terms of tail moment and tail density (P˂0.001). When the findings of the study were evaluated, it was determined that folic acid and ellagic acid could be protective against the negative effects of OTA.