Histopathological study on the effect of antioxidants (vitamin E and selenium) in hepatotoxicity induced by lead acetate in rats

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate histopathological changes inrats liver induced by different doses and durations of lead acetate toxicity and to investigate the therapeutic effects of vitamin E and Selenium together against lead poisoning.Thirty two adult male rats (Rattus rattus), randomized into four groups (n=8) were used for this study. In group I rats received only drinking water as control while in   group II , III and IV rats were given o.5%,1%,1.5% lead acetate respectively in drinking water for ten weeks. Two animals from each group were sacrificed and and dissected after five weeks and ten weeks of treatment with lead acetate.One week later animal groups were treated orally with vitamin E and selenium as a daily dose for two weeks(100mg Vit.E and 0.25mg Se/kg B.W) for first week and (200mg Vit.E and 0.5mg Se/kg B.W) for second week respectively. Also two animals from each group were sacrificed at the end of each period.The obtained results showed that lead acetate caused progressive histopathological changes depending upon the duration of exposure and concentration of lead acetate in drinking water but the treatment with antioxidants (vitamin E and Selenium together) decrease the damage to liver cells . It can be concluded that those antioxidants seem to have abenefit effects to recovery the liver tissue lead burden and had a  therapeutic effects against hepatoxicity.