title: Hyparrhenia hirta: A potential protective agent against hematotoxicity and genotoxicity of sodium nitrate in adult rats.
abstract: The present study was carried out to examine the adverse hematotoxic and genotoxic effects of water nitrate pollution on male adult rats and the use of hyparrhenia hirta methanolic extract in alleviating these effects. Sodium nitrate (NaNO3 ) was administered to adult rats by oral gavage at a dose of 400 mg kg(-1) bw daily for 50 days, while hyparrhenia hirta methanolic extract was given by drinking water at a dose of 1.5 mg mL(-1) (200 mg kg(-1) bw). The NaNO3 -treated group showed a significant decrease in red blood cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit and a significant increase in total white blood cell, in neutrophil and eosinophil counts. Platelet count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration remained unchanged in treated groups compared to those of controls. Meanwhile, the results showed a marked reduction in the antioxidant enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, along with an elevation in the level of lipid peroxidation and a reduction in the total glutathione content, indicating the induction of oxidative stress in the erythrocytes of NaNO3 -treated group. Interestingly, NaNO3 treatment showed a significant increase in the frequencies of total chromosomal aberrations, aberrant metaphases and micronucleus in bone-marrow cells. The oxidative stress induced by nitrate treatment might be the major cause for chromosomal rearrangements as free radicals leading to DNA damage. Hyparrhenia hirta methanolic extract appeared to be effective against hematotoxic and genotoxic changes induced by nitrate, as evidenced by the improvement of the markers cited above.
authors.affiliation: Animal Physiology Laboratory, UR/11 ES70, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hanen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouaziz-Ketata
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ghada Ben
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Salah
authors.affiliation: Animal Physiology Laboratory, UR/11 ES70, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahjoubi
authors.affiliation: Hematology Laboratory, CHU Habib Bourguiba-Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Zied
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aidi
authors.affiliation: Hematology Laboratory, CHU Habib Bourguiba-Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Choumous
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kallel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hassen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kammoun
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Sfax, 3029, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Faiza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fakhfakh
authors.affiliation: Animal Physiology Laboratory, UR/11 ES70, Sfax Faculty of Sciences, University of Sfax, 3000, Sfax, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Najiba
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zeghal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D053878:Hemolytic Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000139:chemically induced; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000633:toxicity*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D006454:Hemoglobins; D053878:Hemolytic Agents; D009153:Mutagens; D009566:Nitrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; C031618:sodium nitrate; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Hyparrhenia hirta; antioxidant status; erythrocytes; genotoxicity; sodium nitrate