Effect of vitamin C on N,N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in Swiss albino mice

Chohan M Shahzad,Anroop B Nair,Omar Mm Mohafez,Sahibzada T Rasool

doi:10.4314/tjpr.v16i11.11

Chohan M Shahzad, Anroop B Nair + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v16i11.11

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Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C on paraquat-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in Swiss albino mice. Methods: Three groups of Swiss albino mice (n = 10), i.e., control, paraquat (15 mg/kg) and paraquat (15 mg/kg) + vitamin C (20 mg/kg) were used in the study. The drugs were administered intraperitoneally for four days. Blood samples were collected on day 5 for determination of serum levels of liver and renal biomarkers. Thereafter, the animals were sacrificed; liver and kidney were excised and preserved in neutral formalin for histopathological analysis. Results: The paraquat-treated animals showed higher levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), serum urea and creatinine, relative to values for control. Histopathological examination of the paraquat-treated animals showed cytoplasmic vacuolar degeneration and congestion of central vein in the liver, and glomerular necrosis in the kidneys. Control and vitamin C-treated mice showed normal architecture of liver and kidney. Conclusion : These results indicate that vitamin C modulated the paraquat-induced liver and renal abnormalities in the experimental animals. Thus vitamin C exerts hepatoprotective and renoprotective effects against paraquat poisoning. Keywords : Paraquat poisoning, Liver, Kidney, Vitamin C, Toxicity, Histopathology

Highlights

Pesticide poisoning is one of the key public health issues in the developing countries
The current investigation was carried out to assess the effectiveness of vitamin C on paraquat-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in Swiss albino mice
Serum levels of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were considerably greater in the paraquattreated mice in comparison to the control group and the paraquat + vitamin C group (Figure 1)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Pesticide poisoning is one of the key public health issues in the developing countries. Paraquat is one of the most prominent agents that are associated with mortality from pesticide poisoning globally. It accounted for 63 % of all suicidal deaths in the Caribbean islands in late. Paraquat is incompletely absorbed after ingestion and quickly distributed to lungs, liver, kidney and muscle. The current investigation was carried out to assess the effectiveness of vitamin C on paraquat-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in Swiss albino mice. The liver and kidney samples were rinsed in normal saline and well-preserved in neutral formalin (10 %) for use in histopathological analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant (SPSS 17.0)

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

Conflict of Interest