HISTOLOGICAL STUDY TO EVALUATE THE ROLE OF SOME ANTIOXIDANTS IN PARAQUAT TOXICITY ON THE LUNG AND KIDNEY OF THE ALBINO RAT

Abstract

Paraquat was used since 1962 as an effective and toxic herbicide. Its mammalian toxicity often results in death mainly from respiratory failure, as the lung is the major site of pathologic changes caused by Paraquat. In cases of severe intoxication death may also result from multi-system organ failure.

Paraquat was known to produce its toxic effects by genemting reactive oxygen species that cause damaging effects especially to the unsaturated lipids of cell membranes to form lipid hydroperoxides, resulting in membrane destruction and lipid peroxidation.

This work has been done to study the changes caused by the toxic effects of Paraquat and to evaluate the role of some antioxidants either singly or in-combination against the oxidant damage produced by Paraquat on the lung and kidney of adult male albino mts.

The experimental animals were divided into six groups: The first group was the control group. Each ofthe other groups was divided into two subgroups: Group II subgroup A: animals examined 3 days after the administration of a single oml dose of Paraquat. Group II subgroup B: animals examined 2 weeks after the administration of a single oml dose of Paraquat. Subgroups A in the rest 4 Groups received a daily oml dose of one of the antioxidants, 1 week prior and 3 days after a single oml dose of Paraquat (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin'A and Antox in Group III, Group IV, Group V and Group VI respectively).