Comparative Effects of Spirulina and Vitamin C against Arsenicosis in Rat

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with Long Evans rats to observe the comparative effects of Spirulina (Spirulina platensis) and Vitamin C to prevent Arsenic toxicity. Sixty male rats (age about 35 days; average body weight at day 0 was 75 g) were divided into five equal groups, namely control group (T0), Arsenic treated group (T1), Arsenic plus Spirulina treated group (T2), Arsenic plus Vitamin C treated group (T3) and Arsenic plus Spirulina plus Vitamin C treated group (T4). Rats in the control group were given normal feed. Rats of T1, T2, T3 and T4 treated group were given Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) 100 mg/kg body weight daily for 45 days. In addition to As2O3, rats of group T2 and T4 were fed with Spirulina @ 1 g/kg of feed and T3 and T4 were fed with Vitamin C @ 250 mg/kg body weight simultaneously. Four rats from each group were sacrificed at 15 days interval to collect blood samples. The research result showed that higher body weight was found except T1 group. It indicates administration of Spirulina tended to bring the body weight towards the normal. The values of SC increased significantly (P<0.01) in all the treated groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) compared to the control group. Though the values of SGOT showed little significance (P<0.05) but SGPT showed highly significant value (P<0.01) among the treated groups. Spirulina with Vitamin C increased the significant values of TEC, TLC and Hb compared to control. The overall results of the study showed that the combined of Spirulina and Vitamin C were found more effective to decrease the level of arsenic and also to prevent the chronic arsenicosis in rats.