Protective Role of Some Antioxidants on Arsenic Toxicity in Male Mice: Physiological and Histopathological Perspectives

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of some natural and artificial antioxidants on the hepato-renal injuries induced by arsenic toxicity. Sixty adult male albino mice weighing 30-40 g were subjected to a sub-lethal dose of sodium arsenate (40 mg/kg body weight) to investigate hematological, biochemical and histopathological alterations resulting from arsenic-induced hepato-renal toxicity. Arsenic-exposed mice were also co-treated with different antioxidants including green tea, garlic and vitamin C to reveal their potential protective role. The antioxidants induced normalization of all blood parameters that showed significant declines by arsenic toxicity. ALT and AST activities were significantly increased in sodium arsenate treated group compared to all other groups. The enzymatic activities did not acquire insignificant differences in antioxidants-treated groups compared to the control mice. Creatinine and urea levels were significantly increased in arsenate treated mice and become normal in mice co-treated with different antioxidants. Histolopatholgical findings in liver sections from arsenate treated mice were represented by venous congestion, sinusoidal dilatation, mononuclear cell infiltration and periportal fibrosis. Simultaneously, renal sections from mice in the same groups revealed interstitial hemorrhages and mononuclear cell infiltration, glomerulonephritis and proximal tubular necrosis. The hepatic and renal histopathological alterations were greatly reduced particularly in groups received combined antioxidants treatment. In conclusion, the antioxidants used in this study exhibited potential protective capacity for the hepato-renal induced arsenic toxicity in male mice.