Antioxidant Effects of Cactus Seed Oil against Iron-Induced Oxidative Stress in Mouse Liver, Brain and Kidney

In recent times, exploring the protective potential of medicinal plants has attracted increasing attention. To fight reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are key players in hepatic, cerebral and renal diseases, scientists have directed their efforts towards identifying novel compounds with antioxidant effects. Due to its unique composition, significant attention has been given to Cactus Seed Oil (CSO). Iron, as a metal, can be a potent generator of reactive oxygen species, especially hydroxyl radicals, via the Fenton and Haber-Weiss reactions. Here, we employed ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) to induce oxidative stress and DNA damage in mice. Then, we used CSO and Colza oil (CO) and evaluated the levels of the antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx] and glutathione [GSH]) as well as a metabolite marker for lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde [MDA]) relating to the antioxidant balance in the liver, brain and kidney. In addition, we measured DNA damage levels in hepatic tissue and the effects of CSO on it. Our study found that iron-dependent GPx activity decreases in the liver and the kidney tissues. Additionally, while iron decreased SOD activity in the liver, it increased it in the kidney. Interestingly, iron treatment resulted in a significant increase in hepatic MDA levels. In contrast, in brain tissue, there was a significant decrease under iron treatment. In addition, we found varying protective effects of CSO in alleviating oxidative stress in the different tissues with ameliorating DNA damage after iron overload in a mouse liver model, adding compelling evidence to the protective potential of CSO.