The Protective Effect Of Turmeric On Iron Overload In Albino Rats

Abstract

A total of 40 male albino rats were divided into four groups (10 rats each) to study the antioxidant activity and protective effect of Turmeric on iron overload. The first group fed basal diet only and served as a control. Rats of the second group were injected intrapritoneally (I/P) with iron dextran at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight once weekly. Rats of the third group fed diet containing 1% turmeric powder while rats of fourth group were received both iron and turmeric with same mentioned dose and route of administration. After the end of experiment (4.5 months), serum was used for photometric determination of iron profile. In addition liver and kidney functions were also estimated. The liver, spleen, testes, heart and kidney were used for determination of iron concentration, lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx), glutathione-s-transferase activity (GST) and reduced glutathione level (G-SH). The present findings indicated that iron overload caused many adverse effects reflected the significant increase of all serum iron profile, tissue iron deposition and tissue lipid peroxidation than the control groups. Moreover its administration caused marked liver and kidney damage. Iron overload also caused a significant decrease of GPx activity while GST activity and G-SH level were significantly increased in all tissues when compared with the control group. In the contrary administration of turmeric alone induced a significant decrease of serum and tissue iron profile. The powerful antioxidant effect of turmeric was reflected on the marked increase of GPx activity, GST activity and reduced glutathione level in all examined tissues except in liver where the activity of GPx and reduced glutathione level were significantly decreased. Although, administration of turmeric for very long time induced mild liver damage, its administration during iron overload decreased the highly mentioned toxic effect induced by iron overload in rats.

Egyptian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Vol. 25 (2) 2007: pp. 94-113