Mercury Intoxication in Rats: Iron and Vitamin B6 as A Potential Therapy

Background: Mercury in any form is poisonous and mercury toxicity most commonly affects the nervous, gastrointestinal (GI) and urinary systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the specific effect associated with mercury toxicity and to evaluate the effectiveness of iron and vitamin B6 supplement on mercury-induced toxicities in rats. Methods: This experiment was performed on 25 rats. All rats were randomly divided into five equal groups (5&times;5). Toxic signs and body weight change, hematological parameters like total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leukocyte count (TLC), hemoglobin content (Hb%) and packed cell volume (PCV) and postmortem changes in rats were investigated. Results: Rats treated with mercury intoxication showed severe toxic signs and significantly (P<0.01) reduced TEC, TLC, Hb content and PCV. However, rats treated with mercury intoxication in combination with iron and vitamin B6 showed physiological levels of hematological parameters. Mercury intoxication induced the congestion and necrosis in lung, liver, heart and kidney, whereas combined use of mercury intoxication, iron and vitamin B6 recovered the condition. Conclusion: Combined use of iron and vitamin B6 is highly protective against mercury toxicity.