US EPA

3791670 

Journal Article 

Spirulina fusiformis provides protection against mercuric chloride induced oxidative stress in Swiss albino mice 

Sharma, MK; Sharma, A; Kumar, A; Kumar, M 

2007 

Yes 

Food and Chemical Toxicology
ISSN: 0278-6915
EISSN: 1873-6351 

45 

12 

2412-2419 

English 

17706852 

10.1016/j.fct.2007.06.023 

WOS:000251052700011 

Oxidative stress induced by mercuric chloride (5 mg/kg body weight i.p.) in mice substantially increases the lipid peroxidation level along with corresponding decrease in the reduced glutathione and various antioxidant enzymes in liver and increase in serum transaminases activity. Supplementation of Spirulina (800 mg/kg body weight orally, in olive oil, along with mercuric chloride) for 40 days resulted in decreased LPO level, serum glutamate oxaloacetate and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase activity along with increase in liver GSH level. The activities of antioxidants enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase were also concomitantly restored to near normal level by Spirulina supplementation to mercuric chloride intoxicated mice. The results clearly demonstrate that Spirulina treatment augments the antioxidants defense mechanism in mercuric chloride induced toxicity and provides evidence that it may have a therapeutic role in free radical mediated diseases.