Effect of pretreatment with chromium picolinate on haematological parameters during dengue virus infection in mice.
OBJECTIVE
Dengue virus (DV) has caused severe epidemics of dengue fever (DF) and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and is endemic all over India. We have earlier reported that exposure of mice to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] compounds increased the severity of dengue virus infection. Trivalent chromium picolinate (CrP) is used worldwide as micronutrient and nutritional supplement. The present study was therefore, carried out to investigate the effects of CrP on various haematological parameters during DV infection of mice.


METHODS
The Swiss Albino smice were inoculated with dengue virus (1000 LD50, intracerebrally) and fed with chromium picolinate (CrP) in drinking water (100 and 250 mg/l) for 24 wk. Peripheral blood leucocytes and other haematological parameters, and spleens were studied on days 4 and 8 after virus inoculations and the findings were compared with those given only CrP and the normal control age matched mice.


RESULTS
CrP in drinking water for 24 wk had no significant effects on peripheral blood cells of mice. On the other hand, there was significant decrease in different haematological parameters following inoculation of normal mice with DV. In CrP fed mice the effects of DV infection were abolished on most of the haematological parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of present study showed that the adverse effects of DV infection, specially on platelets and leucocytes, were abrogated by pretreatment of mice with CrP. The therapeutic utility of CrP in viral infections including dengue needs to be studied in depth.
Shrivastava
Richa
R
Department of Microbiology, K.G. Medical University, Lucknow, India.
Nagar
R
R
Ravishankar
G A
GA
Upreti
R K
RK
Chaturvedi
U C
UC
D000818:Animals; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003716:Dengue Virus / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D007194:India; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019595:Severe Dengue / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D010848:Picolinic Acids; C030614:picolinic acid