title: Protection against arsenic-induced hematological and hepatic anomalies by supplementation of vitamin C and vitamin E in adult male rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic arsenic exposure via contaminated drinking water is a global environmental health problem associated with hematological, hepatic and many serious systemic disorders. This study on adult male rats evaluated the protective effects of vitamin E (VE) and vitamin C (VC) against arsenic-mediated hematological and hepatic toxicities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Arsenic was administered orally as arsenic trioxide (3 mg/kg body weight/day), as a single dose for 30 consecutive days or along with VC/ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg body weight/day dissolved in water) and VE/α-tocopherol (400 mg/kg body weight/day dissolved in olive oil) as supplements. Multiple hematological and hepatic parameters were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arsenic exposure caused significant reduction of erythrocyte counts (p<0.05), leukocyte counts (p<0.01) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels (p<0.01). Arsenic exposure also led to marked echinocytic transformation of erythrocytes resulting in increased morphological index (p<0.001). Altered serum oxidative balance was observed with a higher oxidative stress index (p<0.001). The results also showed a significant increase of serum cholesterol (p<0.05), low-density lipoprotein (p<0.001) and triglycerides (p<0.01), and decreased high-density lipoprotein (p<0.01) along with total protein (p<0.01). A marked elevation of hepatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (p<0.05) along with decreased reduced glutathione (p<0.001) levels were also observed. Interestingly, co-administration of VC and VE significantly prevented all the arsenic-induced alterations (p<0.05) except Hb content and serum protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present investigation offers strong evidence regarding the protective efficacy of co-administration of VC and VE against hematotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in adult male rats caused by chronic arsenic exposure.
authors.forename: Rubia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.forename: Sagnik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: Raghwendra
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9512-3895
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Aparna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
authors.forename: Rupak K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Bhadra
authors.forename: Prabir Kr
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mukhopadhyay
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000633:toxicity*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D020011:Protective Agents; D014810:Vitamin E; D001151:Arsenic; D001205:Ascorbic Acid