Protective Effect of Vitamin C and Selenium Against the Toxicity Induced by Lead Acetate on Some Physiological Parameters in Blood of Male Albino Rats

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore whether Vitamin C or selenium could be protective against the toxic effect of lead acetate. To achieve this purpose, certain hematological and biochemical parameters were studied. Twenty male albino rats (Rattus norvegicus), weighing about 130-150 gram were used. The rats were divided into four groups, each group included five rats. The first group was the control, the second group was administrated orally lead acetate (20 mg / kg of the body weight / day/four weeks), the third group was administrated orally with the same dose of lead acetate plus vitamin C (50 mg/kg body weight/ day/four weeks), the fourth group was given the same dose of lead acetate as the second group and plus sodium selenate in a dose of (0.1 mg /kg body weight/ day/four weeks). Food and water were allowed adlibitum for all the groups. The experimental period was four weeks. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in hematological indices studied in the second group (red blood count, white blood count, and hemoglobin concentration and haematocrit value) after the administration of lead acetate. Moreover, there were higher significantly increase in serum glucose, total lipids, cholesterol, urea and creatinine compared with the control group. The third group showed improvement in the hematological parameters,(red blood& white blood count ,hemoglobin concentration and haematocrit value ).Also improvement in the biochemical parameters of serum glucose ,total lipids ,cholesterol ,urea and creatinine compared to second group. The fourth group showed significant improvement compared with the second group. In addition, a significant decrease in serum glucose, total lipids, total cholesterol, urea and creatinine were found of this group. In conclusion, the results of different parameters studied in rats received orally vitamin C or selenium showed improvement compared with the rats orally received lead.