Alpha-tocopherol supplementation on chromium toxicity: a study on rat liver and kidney cell membrane

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Dey, Sankar Kumar | Nayak, Prasunpriya | Roy, Somenath

Affiliations: Department of Human Physiology with Community Health, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore - 721 102, West Bengal, India

Abstract: Membrane damage is one of the important consequence of chromium, an environmental toxicant, to produce cytotoxicity. α-tocopherol, a membrane protectant can be used to reduce the chromium-induced membrane damage. In the present study, the impact of chromium in presence and absence of a-tocopherol was studied on plasma membrane of liver and kidney in male Wistar rats (80–100 g body weight). Significant increase in membrane cholesterol level as well as significant decrease in membrane phospholipid level in chromium exposed ( 0.8 mg/100 g body weight/d, i.p., for 4 weeks) animals suggest structural alteration of both liver and kidney plasma memebrane. The alkaline phosphatase, total ATPase and Na+-K+-ATPase activities of plasma membrane were significantly decreased in both liver and kidney after chromium treatment. However, a-tocopherol (30 mg/100 g diet) supplementation can restrict the changes in these membrane-bound enzyme activities. Thus, the usefulness of dietary supplementation of a-tocopherol to restrain the chromium-induced membrane damage is suggested.

Keywords: chromium, liver, kidney, membrane, α-tocopherol

Journal: Journal of Environmental Sciences, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 356-359, 2003