Experimental Study Of The Effects Of BSO And Vit-C, Vit-E On The Toxicity Of Mercury

The study was performed by administrating rats with 0. 75, 1.5 and 2.5 mg/kg HgCl2 or pretreating them with Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) and Vitamin C (Vit-C) , Vitamin E (Vit-E) before the administration of HgCl2. Then mercury (Hg) contents in the liver, renal cortex and urine samples were measured, and urinary N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) , Alkaline phosphalase (ALP) , Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activities and urinary protein, Blood u-rea nitrogen (BUN) contents were measured. Glutathione (GSH) and Malondi-aldehyde ( MDA ) contents in the liver and renal cortex were also measured. The toxicity induced by three doses of HgCl2 on the liver and kidney was observed, and the effects of BSO and Vit-C, Vit-E pretreatment on the toxicity of Hg were discussed. Therefore, the study could help to explore the possible mechanisms of the toxicity induced by Hg and provide theoretic foundation for prevention and treatment of Hg intoxication.MethodsFifty-six Wistar rats, 150 + 10 g of weight, male and female in half, were divided into seven groups randomly, i. e. , control group, three Hg groups, BSO and Vit-C, Vit-E pretreatment groups. The control group rats were subcu-taneously (sc) injected with saline, and the three-Hg group rats were sc injected with 0.75, 1.5 and 2.5mg/kg HgCl2, respectively. The BSO pretreatment group rats were intraperitoneally (ip) pretreated with 0.5mmol/kg BSO and four hours later sc administrated with 2. 5 mg/kg HgCl2. The Vit-C pretreatmentgroup rats were ip pretreated with 4mmol/kg Vit-C and two hours later sc administrated with 2. 5mg/kg HgCl2. The Vit-E pretreatment group rats were ip pretreated with 200mg/kg Vit-E and twenty hours later sc administrated with 2. 5mg/kg HgCl2. To collect 12h urine specimens, the animals were housed individually in metabolic cages for 12 hours and the urine samples were collected from the 12th hour after the last injection. 48 hours after the last injection, the animals were under ether anesthesia, and the blood, liver and renal cortex were collected. Then the blood samples were centrifuged in order to get the serum, and the liver and renal cortex samples were hemogenated. Hg contents in the liver, renal cortex and urine samples were measured by cold atomic absorptive method. Urinary NAG activities were measured by the p-nitrohydroxybenzene colorimetry. Urinary ALP activities were measured by Jin's method. Urinary LDH activities were measured by the colorimetry with lactic acid as the matrix. Urinary protein contents were measured by Coomassie brilliant blue method. U-rinary creatinine levels were measured by picric acid colorimetry. BUN contents were measured by diacetyloxime method. GSH contents in the liver and renal cortex were measured by DTNB method, and MDA contents in the liver and renal cortex were measured by thiobarbituric acid colorimetry. Protein contents in the liver and renal cortex were determined by Lowry method.ResultsHg contents in the renal cortex of control and experimental groups were higher significantly than that in the liver. Urinary ALP activities and Hg, GSH contents in the renal cortex of low-dose Hg group were higher significantly than the control values. To the middle-dose Hg group, Hg contents in the renal cortex were higher significantly than the control and low-dose Hg groups, and Hg contents in the urine samples were higher significantly than the control values; Urinary NAG, ALP, LDH activities,urinary protein contents and GSH contents in the liver, renal cortex were higher significantly than the control values, and MDA contents in the renal cortex were higher significantly than that of the con-trol and low-dose Hg groups. Hg contents in the liver, renal cortex and urine samples of the high-dose Hg group were higher significantly than that of the control group. Hg contents in the renal cortex of the high-dose Hg group were higher significantly than the middle-dose Hg group. Urinary NAG, ALP activities and urinary protein, BUN contents of the high-dose Hg group were higher significantly than the cont...