[doi: 10.5505/2017ichc.PP-33]

Vitamin E and selenium treatment of monocrotaline induced kidney damage in rats

Gökhan Cüce1, Mehmet Enes Sözen1, Halime Tuba Canbaz1, Fatma Hümeyra Yerlikaya2, Fatma Öz Bağcı1, Serpil Kalkan1
1Department of Histology and Embryology, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey
2Department of Biochemistry, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

Monocrotaline (MCT) is a pyrrolizidine alkaloid derived from plants. MCT induces significant toxicity through its metabolites in multiple organs including kidney, liver and lung; exposure may occur by consumption of contaminated grains, herbal teas and medicines. We investigated effects of selenium (Se) and vitamin E against the toxic effects of MCT. Female Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: a control group, an MCT group, an MCT + Se group, and an MCT + vitamin E group. Kidney tissues were harvested, fixed, processed to paraffin and sections were cut. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL), and hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed. Kidney tissue glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels were measured. MCT significantly reduced the kidney GSH level and GPx activity. Na+Sel increases the kidney GPx activity and GSH level but there is no significant improvement compared to MCT group. Na+Sel increases apoptotic cell number significantly but can not form a significant alteration in histopathology score. Biochemical data indicated a significant improvement in kidney GPx activity and GSH level in the MCT + vitamin E group compared to the MCT group. Vit E increases apoptotik cell number and histopathology score significantly compared to MCT group. Vit E is more effective than NA+Sel to GSH level and GPx activity reduced by MCT in kidney.