ABSTRACT
Chromium III tris [picolinate] [Cr[pie][3]ps a popular nutritional supplement; however its safety has been questioned, especially with regard to its ability to act as a clastogen. The aim of the preset work was to evaluate the biochemical and moiph01gicd changes in the liver following oral administration of Cr-picolinate and the possible protective effect of ascorbic acid [vitamin C] in rats. Fifty male Sprague Dawly rats were divided into five groups included the control group, the rest four groups treated orally with picolinte [0.8 and 1.5 mg 7100 g b. w] alone or in combination with Vitamin C [0.5 mg 7100 g b. w] for 8 weeks. The results indicated that animals treated with Cr-picolinate alone at the high dose level [1.5 mg/100 g b.w] showed a significant decrease in reduced glutathione [GSH] level and activity of glutathione peroxidase [GPx] in liver homogenate or blood accompanied with a significant increase in serum sFas; 8-hydroxy-2 -deoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde [MDA] levels.The hepatocytes showed some degenerative changes in the form of swollen cells and degenerating nuclei, yet some cells showed regeneration by division of their nuclei The methyl green pyronin [MGP] stain showed less level of DNA in the nuclei, the cells appeared swollen and fused in some areas. It could be concluded that consumption of Cr-picolinate for a long time is contributing to health hazards and induced several hazards to liver. Supplementation with extra amounts of vitamin C may be useful to restrain the chromium-induced biochemical and morphological changes to the liver. It is believed that oxidative stress due to Cr- picolinate is a factor contributing to this health hazards