Abstracto

Oxidative Damage in Erythrocytes of Rats after 1 and 2 Weeks of Exposure to Chromium (VI): Protective Effect of Selenium

Nejla Soudani, Mariem Chaafacbane, Madiha Sefi, Fatma Ayadi Makni, Khaled Mounir Zeghal and Najiba Zeghal

Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), an environmental pollutant, induces oxidative stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential protective effect of Selenium (Se) against erythrocyte damages induced by K2Cr2O7 in adult rats at the end of the 1st and 2th weeks of treatment. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of six each: group I served as controls which received distilled water, group II received in drinking water K2Cr2O7 alone (700 ppm); group III received both K2Cr2O7 in drinking water and Se via diet (0.5 Na2SeO3 mg/kg of diet); group IV received Se (0.5 mg/kg of diet). All groups were killed after one and two weeks of treatment. Blood samples were collected in order to determinate some biochemical parameters. Rats exposed to K2Cr2O7 showed an increase in malondialdehyde levels, protein carbonyl and advanced oxidation products and a decrease of AChE activity, glutathione, non-protein thiol and vitamin C levels. While the activities of SOD and GPx increased. We noticed a decline in catalase activity after 1 and 2 weeks of bichromate exposure. Co-administration of Se restored the parameters indicated above to near-normal values. Therefore, our investigation revealed that selenium could be a useful element preventing K2Cr2O7-induced erythrocyte damages.