HAEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL ALTERATIONS AS BIOMARKERS OF LEAD INDUCED TOXICITY IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Abstract

The present work is devoted to access some of the biomarkers due to lead toxicity in experimental Wistar male rats orally exposed to graded doses of lead (200, 300 and 400 ppm of lead as lead acetate) over a period of four, eight and twelve weeks. A total of sixty Wistar male rats were equally divided into four groups A, B, C and D. Group A served as control. Groups B, C and D were exposed to 200, 300 and 400 ppm of lead as lead acetate respectively. At the end of four, eight and twelve weeks, five animals each were removed from each group; blood sample was obtained via the ocular median canthus for haematological and biochemical studies. The results indicated accumulation of blood lead which was both dose and time dependent, while there was significant decrease (P < 0.05) in packed cell volume and haemoglobin concentration. The erythrocyte indices (mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration) also revealed a significant decrease, revealing microcytic hypochromic anaemia. There was significant decrease (P < 0.05) in both the total plasma protein and albumin while blood urea nitrogen and creatinine revealed a significant increase, giving an indication of compromised liver and kidney functions. It was concluded that oral exposure to lead at vary doses over a period of four, eight and twelve weeks results in alterations of various haematological and biochemical parameters and thus can serve as a sensitive biomarkers in lead toxicity.