Effects of hydrogen sulfide donors on inflammatory and oxidative factors in the hippocampus of lead-poisoned rats

Lead is one of the main environment pollutants, which has strong inhibitory effects on the functioning of the CNS. Exposure to high amounts of lead, even shortly, stimulates glial cells and activates inflammatory pathways in brain. Lead can also increase the amount of oxidative stress. In this study, the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) donors on lead-induced neurotoxicity was investigated. The protective effects of H₂S have been proven in various neurological diseases. Lead and H₂S were administered for 2 weeks. The animals' cognitive performance, exploratory behavior, and anxiety were evaluated using the shuttle box, open field, and elevated plus maze tests. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), and interleukin 10 (IL-10); the total antioxidant capacity of the hippocampus; and blood lead levels were measured. Lead increased the level of TNFα and MDA and decreased the level of IL-10 in the hippocampus. H₂S was able to moderate the inflammatory and oxidative factors and tissue damage caused by lead in the hippocampus, which led to better cognitive and behavioral functions. The results of this study indicated that H₂S reduced the damage caused by lead through its well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, which ultimately resulted in improved behavioral and cognitive functions in lead-poisoned animals. .