The Protective Effect of Omega-3 Oil Against the Hepatotoxicity of Cadmium Chloride in Adult and Weanling Rats

摘要

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective role of omega-3 oil against the toxic effect of cadmium as cadmium chloride (CdCl_2) on the liver of male, dams and weanling rats from the histological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical points of view. Thirty adult male and thirty adult female rats (dams) were used in the present work, divided randomly into five groups, six rats for each group and ten weanling male rats were chosen from each dam group. First group was considered as control group and given only standard diet and drinking water, second group was given (40 mg/L) of CdCl_2 in drinking water. The third group was given (60 mg/L) of CdCl_2 in drinking water. The fourth group was given (40 mg/L) of CdCl_2 in drinking water plus omega-3 oil (4 gm/kg diet) and the fifth group was given (60 mg/L) of CdCl_2 in drinking water plus omega-3 oil (4 gm/kg diet). All the above groups were left for 30 days for males and 42 days for the females) i.e. at the 21~(th) day of the weanling rats birth). Both doses of CdCl_2 have caused a lot of histological and ultrastructural alterations in the liver including high degeneration of hepatocytes. Electron microscope images showed thickening of mitochondrial membrane, variation in the size and shape of the mitochondria of the above cells and deposition of Cd particles in the lining of blood sinusoids. The hepatocytes of the weanling rats showed more ultrastructural changes especially the accumulation of lipid droplets. The immunohistochemical images of the mother liver showed a positive P53 reaction in the cells of the liver of CdCl_2 treated rats especially those around the portal area. These reactions disappeared in the omega-3 plus CdCl_2 groups. The present results suggested a protective role of omega-3 against the cadmium induced hepatotoxicity.