Morphological changes in liver tissues of rats under the exposure of ecotoxicants and perinatal prophylaxis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The high sensitivity of the liver to chemicals is due to its leading role in their metabolism. During the biotransformation of ecotoxicants, highly reactive intermediate products may be formed and free radical oxidation may be initiated, which may result in liver damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiment was carried out on outbred white rats weighing 180250 g. A total of 50 animals were involved in the experiment. All animals were divided into 5 groups: control and 4 experimental ones. All rats in the experimental groups were subjected to inhalation exposure to gasoline and formaldehyde vapors. In the 1st (control) group only poisoning with ecotoxicants was used, in the 2nd group peptinsorbent (apple pectin) was used against the background of poisoning with ecotoxicants, in the 3rd group a membrane protector lemongrass, in the 4th group a beets, in the 5th experimental group peptinsorbent, membrane protector and beets. We examined pieces of liver and rats that were subjected to histological processing. Using a LEICA RM 2145 rotary microtome (Leica Microsystems, Germany), histological sections with a thickness of 58 m were prepared. Stained sections were examined and photographed using an Axio Imager Z1 light microscope (Carl Zeiss, Germany). RESULTS: The liver structure of rat pups born from female rats exposed to subchronic gasoline and formaldehyde poisoning throughout pregnancy has pronounced pathomorphological signs characteristic of hepatosis, turning into toxic hepatitis. The use of lemongrass, peptinsorbent and beets separately, along with intoxication of pregnant rats, somewhat reduced the degree of pathomorphological changes in the liver of born rat pups, but not dramatically. When using a combined mixture (apple pectin + membrane protector lemongrass + beets), the liver structure of the rat pups subsequently born was preserved relatively better than in the control group, with the exception of certain areas of the liver in which hemostasis and moderately pronounced dystrophic changes in hepatocytes were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The combined mixture (apple pectin + membrane protector lemongrass + beets) has a more pronounced hepatoprotective effect compared to the separate use of each of its constituent substances and is effective as a hepatoprotective agent for liver damage from ecotoxicants.