Effect of Noise and Carbon Monoxide Exposure on Plasma Antioxidant Ability and Blood Glutathione in Rabbits

Noise induced hearing loss is one of the top ten occupational diseases in worldwide and carbon monoxide (CO) can potentiate this disorder. Oxidative stress have been implicated in cochlear damage resulting from exposure to noise, but mechanisms underlying auditory impairment following exposure to noise plus CO are not well known. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of noise and CO exposure on blood antioxidant and blood glutathione (GSH) status in rabbits. In this experimental study, 24 male adult white rabbits are divided to four groups: control group, noise exposure group, noise plus carbon monoxide exposure group and CO exposure group. Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP assay) and total blood GSH of groups were determined before and after exposure. Mean of total antioxidant ability of plasma after exposure to noise and CO were 707.5± 31.7 and 811.3± 51.8 µmol/lit. Blood GSH of these groups were 1.39± 0.09 and 1.79±0.08 mg/dl RBCs respectively. These values were less than the values in control group significantly (p value <0.05). Exposure to noise and noise plus CO can reduce blood antioxidant ability and blood GSH, but the role of noise in the reduction is more than CO