Role of ALAD in Toxicology - Essay Example

The “toxicity of lead” causes free radical damage through two pathways:

1. Generate reactive oxygen species (ROS)
2. Direct reduction of antioxidant reserves

The biological process that accelerates the production of ROS reduces the level of antioxidants, thus having negative effects on the human body and affecting their ability to deal with increased oxidant stress.

The vulnerability of lead poisoning depends on its environmental exposure and several genetic factors. Lead binds with enzymes having sulfhydryl group making them non-functional and then contributes to the impairment in oxidative balance. The levels of two sulfhydryl-containing enzymes that lead to the slowdown are delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and ALAD glutathione reductase (GR). This is one of the causes of depression in both humans and animals (lead poisoning, 2013).

Delta aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (or ALAD) plays a major part in lead poisoning and polymorphism and affects the responding ability of an individual. Therefore human bodies do not show the symptoms of lead toxicity (Shaik AP, 2008).

There are studies present that examine the role of ALAD in lead toxicology. They prove that in the early stage of hemi-synthesis pathways, the activity of ALAD negatively correlates with lead. This inhibition of ALAD occurs at low exposure levels but still, there are several controversies related to the toxicological significance of ALAD on hemoglobin levels.