EFFECT OF SPINACH AGAINST ARSENIC TOXICITY IN RATS

The present study was undertaken with a view to evaluate the efficacy of spinach against arsenic (As) induced toxicity in rats during the period between July to October 2008. Thirty six female Long Evans rats (age about 120days; average body weight at day 0 = 154.5g) were randomly divided into three equal groups (n=12) and marked as T0, T1 and T2 groups. Rats of T0 group were given normal feed and water and kept as control. Rats of T1 and T2 groups were given 5mg Sodium arsenite/kg body weight (BW) and 5mg Sodium arsenite/kg (BW) plus spinach extract 100 mg/kg body weight respectively daily for 30 days orally. Four rats from each group were sacrificed at 10 days interval in order to quantitatively determine the As content in liver, lungs and kidney by using Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and serum creatinine were determined by Autoanalyser. No visible clinical sign were observed in any group of experimental rats except loss of body weight in the spinach treated group. Tissue (lung, liver and kidney) concentration of As was significantly (p<0.01) higher in T1 group rats compared to that of T0 and T2 groups and the highest concentration of As was found in kidney followed by lung and liver in T1 group rats. After 30 days of feeding, spinach significantly (p<0.01) decreased As from lung, liver and kidney. As intoxication significantly (p<0.01) increased SGOT values but insignificantly decrease SGPT values and spinach treatment improve these condition. There was no significant effect found in serum creatinine level. It can be concluded that feeding of spinach could reduce body burden of As in rats.