COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE TOXICITY OF ALUMINIUM CHLORIDE AND MERCURIC CHLORIDE ON BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS AND LIPID PROFILES IN WISTAR RATS

Abstract

This study was designed to compare the between the toxic of aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and mercuric chloride (HgCl2) on biochemical markers of liver function, and lipid profiles in Wistar rats. Forty-two male albino Wistar rats were equally divided into three main groups as untreated control (n= 6) group and two treated (n = 6) groups which then were subdivided each into three different subgroups depending on the metal type and doses, namely AlCl3 at doses 7.6, 12.66, and 38 mg/kg body weight (bw), and HgCl2 at doses 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg (bw). Treatments were given to rats orally for 28 days. Results showed a decrease in body weight, and an increase in relative and absolute liver weights, in addition to a significant increase in the levels of serum glucose, bilirubin (total and direct), cholesterol and triglycerides, and the enzymatic activities of transaminases (TGO, TGP) and alkaline phosphatase (PAL), and conversely a decreased level of total proteins in Al and Hg treated animals compared to the controls. The biochemical alterations were supported by the histopathological evaluation of the liver, showing vascular congestion, sinusoid disintegration, centrilobular vein disintegration, and inflammatory cell infiltration. In conclusion, AlCl3 and HgCl2 have induced liver dysfunction, and HgCl2 was proved to be a very toxic meta