Original Empirical Research Protective Effects of Succinic Acid upon Exposure to the Low-Frequency Alternating Magnetic Field Determined in the Experiment

Abstract

Introduction. The need to simulate the oxidative stress by an experiment of exposure to the low-frequency alternating magnetic field is induced by the persistent increase of the electromagnetic load on the endothermic organisms caused by the annual deterioration of the electromagnetic state of the environment. The low-frequency alternating magnetic field starts a chain of biochemical reactions in the laboratory animals, which alter the homeostasis against the increased intensity of free-radical oxidation (peroxidation) of biomembrane lipids. The preparations containing succinic acid have the antioxidant, antihypoxant, actoprotective and stress-protective effects, tested through various kind of modelling, however, the absence of data on the efficacy of succinic acid under the exposure to the alternating magnetic field has become the reason for the present experiment. The aim of the research is to determine the protective effects of succinic acid upon exposure of the laboratory rats to the low-frequency alternating magnetic field.Materials and Methods. The objects of the research were 90 white outbred male rats weighing 200–250 g, divided into three groups: group 1 — intact, the animals were in standard vivarium conditions and were not exposed to any effect; group 2 — control, the rats were exposed to the low frequency alternating magnetic field (LF-AMF) for 21 days daily per 3 hours, preceded by daily intraperitoneal administration to animals of the 0.9% sodium chloride solution at a dose of 1 ml / kg straight before them being exposed to LF-AMF; group 3 — experimental, the rats were daily intraperitoneally administered the succinic acid at a dose of 100 mg / kg (1 ml / kg) for 21 days prior to being exposed to LF-AMF. The exposure to the low-frequency alternating magnetic field was created by the Helmholtz coils (of diameter 1 m) powered by the alternating current source with a frequency of 50 Hz, with a magnetic field induction of 0.4 mT, whereas the cages with animals were placed in the centre of the device. The actoprotective effect of succinic acid was checked on the 7th, 14th and 21st days from the beginning of the experiment by duration of swimming of rats in water. The antioxidant effect — by concentration of diene conjugates, lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, ceruloplasmin, vitamin E in the blood plasma of rats measured according to the commonly accepted methods. The stress-protective effect was determined by the masses of the adrenal glands, thymus gland, spleen and the number of erosive defects on the suRussian Federationace of the gastric mucosa.Results. The experimental data has confirmed the actoprotective effect of succinic acid — the duration of swimming of the rats in the experimental group increased by 25–37% compared to the control one. The antioxidant effect of succinic acid under magnetic induction has been manifested in a decreased concentration of lipid peroxidation products against increased level of ceruloplasmin in the blood of rats in the experimental group compared to the animals in the control group. Administration of the succinic acid into the peritoneum of rats in the experimental group under exposure to the low frequency alternating magnetic field has prevented involution of the thymus gland by 45% (7th day), 56% (14th day), 71% (21th day) and the spleen by 52%, 58% and 66% respectively, alongside, the number of erosive and ulcerative defects on the suRussian Federationace of the gastric mucosa has decreased by 2.5–4 times compared to the animals in the control group.Discussion and Conclusion. The protective effects of succinic acid upon exposure to the low-frequency alternating magnetic field have been confirmed that include the stress-protective, actoprotective and antioxidant effects of the exogenous succinate. The ability of succinic acid to prevent the negative changes in the internal organs caused by the magnetic loads is proved by the statistically significant excess of the mass coefficients of the thymus gland and spleen in the experimental group, compared to the control one, along with the fewer erosive defects on the suRussian Federationace of the gastric mucosa. Succinic acid reduces the intensity of lipid peroxidation processes upon the magnetic exposure due to reducing the concentration of lipid peroxidation products and increasing the level of ceruloplasmin in the blood of animals.