The present investigation has been undertaken to evaluate role of Wheat grass extract in modifying
mercury-induced biochemical alterations in albino rats.
Mercuric chloride 5 mg/kg
body weight i.p. was given on 11, 13 & 15th day of the experiment. Wheat grass extract (400 mg/kg) and
Quercetin (10 mg/kg) were administered 10 days before
mercuric chloride administration and continued up to 30 days after
mercuric chloride administration. The animals were sacrificed on 1, 15 and 30 days, the activity of serum alkaline and
acid phosphatase and the
iron,
calcium, BUN,
creatinine,
SGPT,
SGOT, total
bilirubin, total
protein levels were measured. Tissue lipid peroxidation content,
glutathione (GSH) level,
anti-oxidant enzymes- CAT and GR were measured. Hematological indices were also estimated.
Mercury intoxication causes significant increase (P < 0.001) in
calcium level,
acid phosphatase, BUN,
creatinine,
SGOT,
SGPT, total
bilirubin, lipid peroxidation content and significant decrease in
iron level,
alkaline phosphatase, total
protein, and CAT, GR and
glutathione level. Wheat grass extract pre- and post-treatment ameliorated
mercury-induced alterations in terms of biochemical and hematological parameters. Concomitant treatment of Wheatgrass extract with
Mercury showed prominent recovery and normal architecture with mild residual degeneration in the tissues. Thus from present investigation, it can be concluded that Wheat grass extract pre- and post-treatment with
HgCl2 significantly modulate or modify
mercury-induced biochemical alteration in albino rats.