Attenuating Effect of Vitamin E and C on Liver Function Markers in So2 Exposed Male Rats

Abstract

Present study was carried out to assess the effects of SO2 on liver of albino rats and role of vitamin E and C in combination. Thirty adult wistar albino rats (150-200g) were divided into three groups (1, 2 and 3) of five rats each. Rats of control group (1) were kept in ambient air and rats of experimental group (2) were exposed to 80ppm SO2 gas for 1 hour/day for 4 weeks and rats of experimental group (3) were exposed to 80ppm S02 gas with supplementation of vitamin E and C in combination orally (0. 1ml/100g b. wt. vitamin E and 0. 2ml/100g b. wt. vitamin C). After 4 weeks of treatment, the rats were starved overnight and sacrificed by decapitation next morning for studying the liver histopathology and serum enzyme activities. The histopathological changes in rat liver after 4 weeks SO2 exposure include- moderate hepatocyte necrosis (HN), degeneration of hepatocytes (DH), centrilobular necrosis (C ), ballooning degeneration (BD) and cellular debris. Significant elevation in level of serum AST (P<0. 05), ALT (P<0. 01 ), and ALP (P<0. 05) activity in comparison to control rats. The reduction in hepatotoxicity and serum enzymes activity after oral supplementation of antioxidant vitamin E and C in combination is the result of antioxidant defence mechanism against toxic action of SO2 gas which reduces the intensity of inflammation like responses in SO2 gas induced rat.