Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF SELENIUM ON HEPATOTOXICITY CAUSED BY SUBACUTE EXPERIMENTAL COMBINED EXPOSURE TO CADMIUM AND LEAD IN RATS

BOGDAN GABRIEL ȘLENCU 1*, CONSTANTIN CIOBANU 1, RODICA CUCIUREANU 1, ALINA ANTON 2, STELIAN CIOBANU 2, GHEORGHE SOLCAN 2, CARMEN SOLCAN 2

1.Faculty of Pharmacy, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iasi, 16 Universităţii Street, 700115, Iași, Romania
2.Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iasi, 3 Mihail Sadoveanu Alley, 700490, Iași, Romania

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Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) toxicity is mediated by multiple mechanisms. The purpose of this study was to assess the potential protective effects of selenium (Se) in the case of experimental Cd, Pb or combined Cd and Pb exposure through drinking water in rats. Male Wistar rats were used (8 experimental groups, n = 6). The experiment lasted for 56 days. The groups were: Control (distilled water), Se (Se - 0.2 mg/L), Cd (Cd - 150 mg/L), Pb (Pb - 300 mg/L), Cd+Pb (Cd - 150 mg/L; Pb - 300 mg/L), Cd+Se (Cd - 150 mg/L; Se – 0.2 mg/L), Pb+Se (Pb - 300 mg/L; Se - 0.2 mg/L), Cd+Pb+Se (Cd - 150 mg/L; Pb - 300 mg/L; Se - 0.2 mg/L). Cd exposure resulted in an increase in transaminases activities and a modification in the serum protein fractions ratios, which was alleviated by Se. Cd or/and Pb exposure altered the normal hepatic histology, which was improved by Se. Se exhibited potential protective action by improving some biochemical parameters and the hepatic histological architecture and reducing the intensity of p53 and caspase-3 immunostaining.