Effect of prolonged administration of pesticide rotenone on the intensity of lipid peroxidation and the development of catalepsy in rats

The effect of prolonged administration of rotenone on development of catalepsy, as well as on intensity of lipid peroxidation (LPO) processes in the brain of rats was studied. It was found that the rotenone did not produced significant effect on the content of LPO products in the cortex and striatum of rat brain after a single administration. At the same time, there were no symptoms of catalepsy in animals. A significant increase in content of LPO products was observed only after a 20-day administration of the rotenone, while symptoms of catalepsy did not observed. More pronounced increase in the concentration of LPO products compared with the control was observed after 60 injections of the drug. At the same term, rats showed marked symptoms of catalepsy. The obtained suggest to conclude that the pesticide rotenone produced neurotoxic effect and causes intensification of LPO processes only after long lasting chronic administration.