Aluminium Phosphide-induced Hepato-nephrotoxicity and Oxidative Damage in Rats: The Protective Effect of -lipoic Acid

The present experiment was carried out to investigate the effectivness of -lipoic acid in allevating the toxicity of aluminium phosphide on biochemical parameters, free radicals and enzyme activities in plasma, liver and kidney of male rats. Animals were orally treated with aluminium phosphide, -lipoic acid and their combination for 30 consecutive days. Treatment with aluminium phosphide led to significant decrease in plasma total protein and glucose and increase in transaminases, phosphatases, urea, creatinine and bilirubin. Treatment with aluminium phosphide significantly decreased glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in plasma, liver and kidney. While, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS; as an index of lipid peroxidation) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased in plasma, liver and kidney of rats treated with aluminium phosphide. Administration of -lipoic acid in combination with aluminium phosphide minimized and alleviated its toxic effects on most of the measured parameters. In conclusion, lipoic acid has beneficial effects and could be able to attenuate aluminium phosphide toxicity.