The effect of ferulic acid against lead-induced oxidative stress and DNA damage in kidney and testes of rats.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants which leads to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cells. Reactive oxygen species contains oxygen radicals that easily react with other molecules in the biological system. For decades, lead acetate (Pb(CHO2)) is used as an additive for many widely used chemical products such as insecticides, hair dyes, and cosmetics; however, contact with lead acetate may irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.