BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Arsenic (Ar) by induced oxidative stress in gestation and lactation period can cause teratogenicity properties in the neonate. On the other hand, the evidence suggests the antioxidant effect of zinc (Zn). So, the aim of present study was to evaluate protective effect of Zn against Ar-induced hepatotoxicity during gestation and lactation in rat neonate.
METHODS: In this experimental study, 24 adult wistar rats of the 35 mice that their pregnancy was confirmed, randomly divided into four groups including:I) Control group; II) Ar group, (20 mg/kg/day); III) Zn group; (5 mg/kg/day) and IV) Ar+Zn group. Ar and Zn administration was daily with intragasticaly method. At the end of the experimental period (42 days: 21 of gestation and 21 of lactation) after anesthesia hepatic samples were taken for biochemical assessment of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and histopathological assessment.
FINDINGS: The MDA and GSH mean±SD in Ar group was 41.56±7.2 and 7.05±1.36, respectively. Also, in Ar+Zn group assessed 26.26±1.84 and 13.79±1.34, respectively. This difference was significant between groups (P<0.05). Also, the histopathological finding by using scoring system in Ar+Zn in compare to Ar group was significant (P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that administration of Zn as antioxidant can decreased the toxically and teratogenic effect of Ar during gestation and lactation.