Abstract

Agrochemicals were more prominent in 1960, marked due to the agricultural modernization process. As a result of this widespread use for food production, there was also an increase in cases of intoxication caused by these agents which made it necessary to search for alternative therapies for agricultural workers. Thus, considering that phytochemical characterization revealed the presence of antioxidants in Cymbopogon citratus extract, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of this plant infusion on the enzyme acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) and on the redox response in farmers’ erythrocytes. These erytrocytes were processed and subjected to treatment with the Cymbopogon citratus infusion (5, 10, 25 and 50 g/L). In these samples the following were determined: the AChE enzyme activity, the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls (CPs) and reduced glutathione (GSH). In general, it was discovered that the inhibition of AChE activity is negative regarding to the increase of protein carbonyl levels and positive regarding the GSH levels. In addition, Cymbopogon citratus infusions could not even reverse this inhibition or the high levels of TBARS and CPs. On the other hand, levels of GSH were increased by infusions demonstrating the increased antioxidant activity in rural workers’ erythrocytes.

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