Evaluation of Protective Effects of Vitamin C and Zinc against Ovarian Damage induced-Arsenic in Rats

Objective(s): Arsenic (AS) being a toxic metalloid ubiquitously persists in environment and causes several health complications including female reproductive anomalies.Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 48 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=8 rat/each), including 1: Control group, 2: AS (8 mg/kg sodium arsenite, 30 days, gavage), 3: AS+ VitC (100 mg/kg, 30 days, gavage), 4: AS+Zn (30 mg/kg zinc sulfate, 30 days, gavage), 5: AS+VitC+Zn and 6: VitC+Zn. At the end of the experiments, the body and ovarian weights were recorded. Also, the serum samples were taken to measure sexual hormones. Ovaries were harvested and processed to histopathological examination.Results: Exposure to AS triggered extensive tissue impairments and caused significant decreases in the sex hormones. In addition, the number of atretic follicles were increased significantly in the AS group compared with the control group. Otherwise, the treatment with zinc and VitC improved sex hormones indices and restored ovarian architecture in the AS-exposed rats. However, individual Zn or VitC couldn’t restore all of the hormonal and ovarian abnormalities.Conclusion: This study indicates that concomitant intake of zinc and VitC provided more effective protection against AS-induced ovotoxicity than individual Zn or VitC.

Evaluation of Protective Effects of Vitamin C and Zinc against Ovarian Damage induced-Arsenic in Rats Keywords:

Zinc , Vitamin C , Arsenic , Ovary , Histopathology