Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Vitamin C protects rat cerebellum and encephalon from oxidative stress following exposure to radiofrequency wave generated by a BTS antenna model med./bio.

By: Akbari A, Jelodar G, Nazifi S

Published in: Toxicol Mech Methods 2014; 24 (5): 347-352

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of exposure of rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field on oxidative stress in the testes and the protective effect of vitamin C should be investigated.

Background/further details

(Remark EMF-Portal: the term "encephalon" as used in the article probably describes only the cerebrum, as the cerebellum was investigated separately.)
Rats were divided into 4 groups (n=8 each): 1) exposure: exposure to the electromagnetic field and daily sham administration (orally, distilled water), 2) exposure + vitamin C: exposure to the electromagnetic field and daily administration of vitamin C (orally, 200 mg/kg body weight), 3) vitamin c: sham exposure and daily administration of vitamin C, 4) sham exposure: sham exposure and daily sham administration.

Endpoint

effects on the neurological system: oxidative stress in the rat brain

Exposure

- 900 MHz
- mobile communications
- mobile phone base station
- co-exposure

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: 900 MHz Exposure duration: continuous for 4 h/day for 45 days	power density: 0.6789 mW/cm²

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	900 MHz
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	continuous for 4 h/day for 45 days

Exposure setup

Exposure source	BTS antenna
Distance between exposed object and exposure source	5 m
Chamber	cage
Setup	8 animals per cage
Sham exposure	A sham exposure was conducted.

Parameters

Measurand	Value	Type	Method	Mass	Remarks
power density	0.6789 mW/cm²	-	-	-	-

Additional parameter details

the power of the antenna at the location of the animal cage in the experiment equalized the power at the minimum distance of a citizen's residence (17 m) to a base station (=-75 db)

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on the neurological system: oxidative stress in the rat cerebellum and "encephalon": enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (inhibition of reaction of superoxide with tetrazolium compound), glutathione peroxidase (commercial kit) and catalase (decomposition rate of hydrogen peroxide), amount of lipid peroxidation (reaction of malondialdehyde with thiobarbituric acid, HPLC) and total protein content (Lowry's method) (spectrophotometry)

Investigated system:

isolated bio./chem. substance
cerebellum and "encephalon" homogenates

Investigated organ system:

brain/CNS

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

In the cerebellum and "encephalon" of the exposure group (group 1), the enzyme activities of the superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase were significantly decreased and the lipid peroxidation was significantly increased compared to the other groups.
No significant differences were found between the exposure + vitamin c group, vitamin c group and sham exposure group (groups 2, 3 and 4).
The authors conclude that exposure of rats to a 900 MHz electromagnetic field could induce oxidative stress in the brain and vitamin C might improve antioxidant enzyme activity and reduce the lipid peroxidation.

Study character:

medical/biological study
experimental study
full/main study

Study funded by

Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

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