Preventive effect of zinc on nickel-induced oxidative liver injury in rats

Abstract

This study pertains to the potential ability of zinc, used as nutritional supplements, to alternate oxidative stress induced by nickel. Male rats were randomly divided into four groups of eight each. Group I served as the controls; group II received in their drinking water ZnSO₄ (227 mg/l); group III received NiSO₄ (2 mg/100b.w/day intraperitoneally); group IV was treated with ZnSO₄ and NiSO₄. The exposure of rats to nickel sulfate for 21 days resulted in a significant decrease in body weight gain and absolute liver weight, relative liver weight. Nickel treatment also produced oxidative liver injury characterized by increasing serum glucose concentration, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), alanine aminotransferase (GOT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities. Meanwhile nickel supplementation decreased serum total protein and albumin in animals. In addition, liver glutathione level, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were diminished. The administration of zinc with nickel (Ni + Zn) corrective effects on Ni-induced oxidative stress in liver was observed. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that intraperitoneally injection with Ni caused reduction in enzymes activities in rat’s liver and treatment with zinc offers a relative protection against nickel induced oxidative liver injury and lipid peroxidation probably due to its antioxidant proprieties.

Key words: Nickel, zinc, rats, oxidative stress, liver.