Combined protective effect of vitamins C and E on cadmium induced oxidative liver injury in rats

Abstract

Our study pertains to the potential ability of vitamin C and/or vitamin E, used as nutritional supplements, to alleviate oxidative stress induced by cadmium. Male rats were randomly divided into five groups of eight each. Group I served as the controls; group II received in their drinking water CdCl₂ (200 mg/L); group III received both CdCl₂ and vitamin C (1.5 g/L of water); group IV was treated with CdCl₂ and vitamin E (400 mg/kg diet); and group V received CdCl₂ + vitamin C + vitamin E. The exposure of rats to cadmium chloride for 30 days resulted in a significant decrease in body weight gain. Cadmium treatment also produced oxidative liver injury characterized by increasing serum glucose concentration, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), alanine aminotransaminase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities. Meanwhile cadmium supplementation decreased serum total protein and albumin in animals. In addition, liver glutathione level, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were diminished. With vitamin C and vitamin E administration during intoxication of cadmium, corrective effects on Cd-induced oxidative stress in the liver was observed. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that oral exposure to Cd caused reduction in LPO and antioxidant enzyme activities in rat’s liver, and vitamin C or vitamin E may have partial ameliorative effects on these disturbances, whereas vitamin C and vitamin E together assured a more efficient protection of the organ against the noticed oxidative stress.

Key words: Cadmium, vitamin E, vitamin C, oxidative stress, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, catalase.