Spirulina exhibits hepatoprotective effects against lead induced oxidative injury in newborn rats.
Lead is a toxic metal that induces a wide range of biochemical and physiological effects. The present investigation was designed at evaluating the toxic effects of a prenatal exposure to lead of mothers on hepatic tissue of newborn rats, and potent protective effects of spirulina. Female rats were randomly divided into 4 groups which were given a normal diet (control),a diet enriched with spirulina (S), lead acetate administered through drinking water (Pb), or a diet enriched with spirulina and lead contaminated water (S Pb), respectively. The duration of treatments was from the 5th day of gestation to 14 days postpartum. Lead toxicity was assessed by measuring body and liver weights, blood and stomach lead levels, hepatic DNA, RNA and protein amounts, blood enzyme activities (AST and ALT), as well as lipid peroxidation level and activities of antioxidant enzymes in hepatic tissues of neonates. Lead intoxication of mothers caused reduction of liver weight as well as of hepatic DNA, mRNA and protein levels in newborns. Moreover, oxidative stress and changes in antioxidant enzyme activities were recorded. Conversely, supplementation of mothers with spirulina mitigated these effects induced by lead. These results substantiated the potential hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity of spirulina.
University of Sfax Laboratory of Animal Ecophysiology, Faculty of Sciences Sfax Tunisia.
M
M
Gargouri
University of Sfax Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Sfax Tunisia hajerbensaad21@yahoo.com.
H
H
Ben Saad
University of Sfax Higher Institute of Biotechnology Sfax Tunisia.
I
I
Ben Amara
University of Western Brittany EA 2219 Geoarchitecture, Faculty of Sciences Brest France.
C
C
Magné
University of Sfax Laboratory of Animal Ecophysiology, Faculty of Sciences Sfax Tunisia.
A
A
El Feki
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007854:Lead / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D053545:Spirulina / Q000737:chemistry*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood
D000975:Antioxidants; D020011:Protective Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D007854:Lead; D004247:DNA; D000637:Transaminases; D002118:Calcium