Abstract:

Objective    To investigate protective effects of maternal vitamin E supplement against electromagnetic radiation from cell phones in pregnant and fetal rats′ brain tissues. Methods   40 pregnant rats were randomly divided into five groups. Low, middle and high dosages of vitamin E groups were supplemented with 5mg/kg, 15mg/kg, and 30mg/kg of vitamin E, respectively. The negative control group and the positive control group were given peanut oil which had vitamin E removed. All groups were exposed to a certain intensity of cell phone radiation for 1 hour each time, 3 times per day for 21 days from the first day of pregnancy. Total anti-oxidant capacity(T-AOC) and ATP enzyme (Na+-K+-ATP enzyme and Ca+-Mg+-ATP enzyme) activities in pregnant and fetal rats′ brain tissues were determined after delivery. Results   T-AOC, Na+-K+-ATP enzyme activity, and Ca+-Mg+-ATP enzyme activity were all significantly lower in the positive control group than in the negative control group(P<0.05). Compared with the positive control group, T-AOC of pregnant mice was significantly higher in middle and high dosages of vitamin E groups, and -AOC of fetal mice was significantly higher in all three different dosages of vitamin E groups (P<0.05). ATP enzyme activity in pregnant mice was significantly increased in the three dosages of vitamin E groups compared with the positive control group(P<0.05)，and that in fetal mice was higher in middle and high dosages of vitamin E groups than in the positive control group(P<0.05). Conclusion   Vitamin E has a protective effect against damage to antioxidant capacity and energy metabolism induced by cell phone electromagnetic radiation in pregnant mice and fetal mice.

Key words:  Vitamin E; Electromagnetic radiation from cell phones; Total anti-oxidant capacity; ATP enzyme; Rats, Wistar