Experimental Trial to Reduce Toxicity of Heavy Metals Mixture by Ferulic Acid: Histopathological and Biochemical Studies on Rats

Authors

  • Rasha A. Shalaby Regional Center for Food and Feed (RCFF), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
  • Abeer F. Ahmad Regional Center for Food and Feed (RCFF), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.
  • Gihan M. Hammoud Regional Center for Food and Feed (RCFF), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt.

Keywords:

Ferulic acid, heavy metals, toxicity, rats

Abstract

The issue of toxic substance in our food and intervention trial has started floating on the surface. Heavy metals (HMs) are persistent non-degradable globally wide environmental contaminants and pollutants of tremendous adverse effect on health. Seven metals (Al, Pb, As, Hg, Ni, Cr and Cd) were previously recorded in Baladi bread from rural area in Egypt. Biological experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the dynamic toxic interaction of those metals along with ameliorating effect of ferulic acid (FA, natural polyphenol). Two groups of male albino rats were fed on heavy metals mixture (HMMs) at dose level detected in bread and 1/10 of LD50of same metals with total corresponding salts of 215.7 mg/kg diet and 284.7 mg/kg body weight (bw), respectively for 12 weeks. The systemic toxicity of HMMs was manifested by anemia, immunosuppression, decrease of blood ferritin, Zn and Fe levels, impairment of liver and kidney functions and histopathological alteration of liver, kidney, brain and intestine associated with oxidative stress. These effects were more pronounced with1/10 of LD50 dose. Fortunately, co treatment of intoxicated rats orally with ferulic acid (40 mg/kg bw) resulted in significant amelioration of adverse effect of HMMs on biological system through reduction of oxidative stress and restoration of antioxidant defense of living body.

Published

25.10.2022