effect of chronic lead exposure on the course of Schistosomiasis and the protective effect of the antioxidant preparation Antox

ABSTRACT

In the present study, 80 adult male hamsters were used; 20 of them were divided equally into non-infected non-treated control group and chronic lead exposed group, that was given lead acetate intraperitoneally dissolved in distilled water, 2 mg/kg/day for 7 weeks. Then, two experiments were carried out on the remaining animals. Each experiment [included 30 animals] was divided equally into three groups. Experiment A was carried out on the following groups Schistosoma mansoni infected group, Schistosoma mansoni infected and chronic lead exposed group and Schistosoma mansoni infected, chronic lead exposed and Antox-treated group. Experiment B was done following the previous design, except that infection was carried out by Schistosoma haematobium cercaria. The study revealed significant reduction in oxidative stress parameters as well as blood and hepatic lead levels and in hepatic 8-oxodeoxyguanosine phosphate level after giving the antioxidant Antox to the Schistosoma infected and chronic lead exposed groups. However, the administration of the antioxidant Antox to Schistosoma infected and chronic lead exposed groups has insignificantly increased all the parasitological parameters