Effect of penicillamine and or vitamin-e on hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by hexavalent chromium in rats

Abstract EN

The effect of the chelating agent (penicillamine), as well as the antiox-idant agent (vitamin E), on the hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity induced by orally given potassium dichromate (hexavalent chromium) was studied in female albino rats.

The rats were given either oral penicillamine (40 mg / kg b.

wt.) or intraperitoneal vitamin-E (alpha-tocopherol acetate, 250 mg / kg b.

wt.) or both immediately after oral administration of 1 / 10 or 1 / 20 LD50 of potassium dichromate.

Rats were treated every other day for 45 days.

Liver and kidney injuries induced by chromium were ameliorated significantly by penicillamine.

On the other hand vitamin-E not only had no protective effect in such toxicity but also caused deaths to most of treated rats.

The same results were obtained in rats that received both vitamin-E and penicillamine with potassium dichromate.

These results suggested that the chelating agent may be useful in the prevention and treatment of intoxication due to hexavalent chromium but vitamin-E (alpha-tocopherol acetate) must not be used in such case.