title: Synergistic effect of folic acid and vitamin B12 in ameliorating arsenic-induced oxidative damage in pancreatic tissue of rat.
abstract: The efficacies of two nutritional factors, folic acid and vitamin B12, were assessed in this study against arsenic-induced islet cellular toxicity. Rats were divided into four groups consisting of five rats in each group: Group A, control; Group B, arsenic-treated; Group C, arsenic+folic acid; and Group D, arsenic+folic acid+vitamin B12. The dose of arsenic, folic acid and vitamin B12, respectively, was 3 mg, 36 microg and 0.63 microg kg(-1) body weight day(-1) for 30 days. Results showed that, compared to control group, there was a significant increase in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydroxyl radical (OH-) formation in the pancreatic tissue of arsenic-treated rats, while the activity of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and cellular content of antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were low in these animals. The serum level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-6 was significantly high in these animals. Light microscopic examination showed a marked fall in the number of islet cells. Concomitant administration of either folic acid or folic acid and vitamin B12 with arsenic significantly restored all these parameters. Although folic acid alone could not restore the normal level of TNF-alpha and IL-6, combined folic acid and vitamin B12 could restore it. Folic acid and vitamin B12 combined also could recover islet cell count. These results suggest that folic acid+vitamin B12 are capable of reducing arsenic-induced cellular oxidative and inflammatory toxic changes. Thus, supplement with vitamin B12+folic acid may be predicted as a possible nutritional management strategy against arsenic-induced toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Presidency College, Calcutta 700 073, India.
authors.forename: Sandip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Dolan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Maitrayee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Asankur S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Chandan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D017942:Nitric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D017942:Nitric Acid; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005492:Folic Acid; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; D001151:Arsenic; D014805:Vitamin B 12