PHARMACOTOXICOLOGICAL STUDY OF SOME DRUG INTERACTIONS WITH SELENIUM AND/OR TELLURIUM

Abstract

In the present study, the possible modulatory effects of two trace elements namely, selenium and tellurium on the action of certain drugs used in certain pathological conditions was investigated. Three experimentally• induced pathological conditions were used : (1 )-An in-vitro model: anoxia/reoxygenation injury of isolated immobilized perifused rat hepatocytes cast in agarose gel threads. (2)-Two in-vivo models: a- Global cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion. b- Renal ischaemia-induced hypertension (renal hypertension). The possible modulatory effect of selenium on the immunostinulant action of levamisole, as estimated by the effect on serum interleukin-2, was also investigated. In the in-vitro model, anoxia was carried out by perifusing the agarose threads for one hour with Krebs-Henselite buffer saturated with nitrogen (95%) and carbon dioxide (5%). This was followed by perifusion for one hour with the same buffer saturated with carbogen. The protective effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), either alone or in combination with selenium or tellurium as well as the effect of selenium and tellurium either alone or in combination on cell damage were investigated. Cell damage was monitored by estimation of the activity of cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase (LOH) leaked into the perifusate.