title: Effect of subchronic zinc toxicity on rat salivary glands and serum composition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zinc plays an important role in a wide variety of metabolic processes in animal systems. The role of zinc in preservative treatment, fungicidal action and medicine, and addition of supplementary zinc have increased the probability of zinc toxicity, specially the chronic type. It is known that the composition and quantity of saliva influence the oral health. Regarding people's exposure to zinc in routine life and the importance of saliva, our purpose was to investigate the effects of oral zinc intoxication on secretory function in rat salivary glands and also on serum composition.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, there were five groups of female rats. Four groups received zinc acetate dehydrate through their drinking water. After 3 months of experiment, the chemical characteristics and flow rate of saliva and weight of salivary glands were determined. The effects of zinc on hematological and chemical factors of plasma were assessed too.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flow rate of submandibular glands was significantly lower in experimental groups and there were significant changes in Na(+), Ca(2+) and K(+) concentration both in saliva and in plasma. The serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glucose levels in the plasma and urine creatinine levels were also altered in experimental groups in comparison with the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that zinc toxicity will affect the quantity and quality of saliva probably through changes in the various neurologic pathways to the salivary glands or effects on acinar cells of the salivary glands. Furthermore, our results showed that zinc toxicity will affect the liver and renal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nazer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mizari
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirbod-Mobarakeh
authors.forename: Shervin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahinpour
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghalichi-Tabriz
authors.forename: Maani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beigy
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamini
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehpour
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D059550:Toxicity Tests, Subchronic; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D014527:Uric Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D015032:Zinc