Positive effects of Vitamin C in arsenic trioxide and sodium fluoride induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in mice in vivo

The aim of the present study was to evaluate Vitamin C (VC) as a potent natural antioxidant to mitigate the genotoxic effects of Arsenic trioxide and sodium fluoride in Swiss albino mice in vivo. The study was divided into eight groups consisting of control treated with normal saline (Group I), Group II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and the VC group with only Vitamin C (500 mg/kgbw). Arsenic trioxide (4 mg/kgbw) and Sodium fluoride (8 mg/kgbw) were administered singly, as well as in combination to swiss albino mice, with and without VC. In this study, the genotoxic effect of arsenic (As) and fluoride (F) in mice using comet, chromosomal aberration and lipid peroxidation assay was investigated. The results revealed that VC efficiently ameliorates the genotoxic effect of As and F by increasing the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and primary DNA damage along with increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level. In conclusion, VC mitigates the genotoxic effects of the two well-known water contaminants (As and F) effectively and efficiently at the given concentration in vivo.