The aim was to evaluate the effect of toluene and nutritional status on levels of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), Na+/K+-ATPase, total ATPase and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) in rat brain. Study was conducted with malnourished (MN), well-nourished (WN) and normal Wistar rats. Three groups were formed for each nutritional status: control group I received 0.9% NaCl; toluene (1 g/kg) was administered to group II, and 1.5 g/kg to group III. Levels of 5-HT decreased (P< 0.05) in WN toluene groups, and 5-HTP decreased (P < 0.05) in the WN 1 g toluene and MN 1.5 g toluene groups. TBARS decreased (P < 0.05) in WN toluene groups. A trend to increase in Na+/K+-ATPase was found in WN and MN toluene groups, while total ATPase increased (P < 0.05) in the WN 1.5 g toluene group. The results suggest that high concentrations of toluene in single doses induce significant changes in the serotonergic system and alter membrane fluidity more perceptibly in the brain of adult animals with regular diet than in malnourished animals.

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A significant increase of Hb in blood and of proteins in cortex and hemisphere was detected, but TBARS values fell due to the effect of sodium selenite in all examined regions, except for cerebellum. ATPase activity declined in all groups and regions with and without NTP. We conclude that diet supplementary selenium to inhibit NO generation can be a useful treatment in chronic inflammatory diseases.