Experimental clinicopathological studies on zinc toxicity in rats

Abstract EN

This work aimed to study the effect of increasing zinc on hematological, biochemical and immunological parameters in albino rats.

This study performed on 75 male albino rats, which divided into 3 equal groups (each one contains 25 rats).

The first group (control group), received no treatment.

The second group received low dose of zinc, 100mg of zinc acetate / liter in drinking water for 3 months.

The third group received high dose of zinc, 200mg of zinc acetate / liter in drinking water for 3 months.

Collection of blood samples and separation of serum samples occurred at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd months of experiment for hematological, serum biochemical and immunological analysis.

Administration of high dose of zinc (200mg) at the third group resulted in, presence of anemia which was macrocytic hypochromic, also we recorded decrease in total leukocyte count.

Regarding serum biochemical analysis we recorded, significant elevation in ALT, AST, ALP and total bilirubin.

On the other hand there were significant decrease in total protein and albumin.

High zinc level group showed significant increase in MDA, SOD and catalase activity.

IL 1β and lysozyme were significantly decreased.

It concluded that high doses of zinc revealed regenerative anemia together with significant undesirable changes in serum biochemical and immunological parameters.