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1348853 
Journal Article 
Protective role of zinc in ameliorating the arsenic-induced oxidative stress and histological changes in rat liver 
Kumar, A; Garg, ML; Majumdar, S; Dhawan, DK 
2009 
Yes 
Toxicology Letters
ISSN: 0378-4274
EISSN: 1879-3169 
189 
S206-S206 
English 
WOS:000269778800607 
Contamination of ground water by arsenic has become a cause of global public health concern. In West Bengal, India, almost 6 million people are endemically exposed to arsenic by drinking water. No safe, effective and specific preventive or therapeutic measures for treating arsenic poisoning are available. In the present study, arsenic levels in liver were found significantly higher in arsenic treated rats (100 ppm of arsenic in drinking water for 3 months), when analyzed with EDXRF technique. Arsenic exposure significantly increased the ALP, ALT and AST activity in serum of arsenic treated rats when compared with normal control rats. Arsenic has also been found to alter the activity of liver antioxidant defense enzymes such as CAT, SOD, GPX, GR, as well as MDA and GSH content. Electron microscopic studies also showed the hepatocyte damage. DNA damage and apoptosis shown by micronuclei assay was also found in hepatocytes in arsenic treated rats.

Zinc is known for its antioxidative properties. This study showed that the simultaneous treatment of zinc (227 ppm ZnSO4 in drinking water ad lib) to arsenic exposed rats tends to decrease the raised arsenic levels and also decreased the toxic conditions accompanied by significantly reduced ALP, ALT and AST activity, when compared to arsenic treated rats. Zinc treatment to arsenic treated rats improved the altered antioxidant defense system as well as histoarchitecture of hepatocytes and it also helped in decreasing the DNA damage. It can thus be concluded from the present study that concomitant administration of zinc with arsenic could significantly protect animals from oxidative stress and in reducing tissue arsenic concentration.