protective role of ginseng against liver damage caused by potassium dichromate Cr [IV]: light and electron microscopic studies

ABSTRACT

Human exposure to carcinogenic Hexavalent Chromium Cr [VI] compounds is found among workers in a large number of professional groups, and it can also occur through environmental pollution. A significant number of toxic waste sites contain Cr as a major contaminant. Chromium is a heavy metal which is widely used in the painting, pigments, dyes, and leather tanning industries. Ginseng is one of the most popular herbal remedies. In a series of experiments we have studied the possible role of the water ginseng extract, in modulating the histological and histochemical damage induced by potassium dichromate Cr [VI] in liver tissue of albino rats. Fourty male albino rats were used in this study. Potassuim dichromate was given orally in a dose of 50mg/kg body weight. Rats were treated orally with ginseng extract in a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight. Specimens of the liver were taken and prepared for light and electron microscopic investigations. Other specimens were stained with, periodic-shiff reagent and Feulgen stain for histochemical investigations. The morphometric analysis of hepatocytes nuclear diameters, the optical density of mucopolysaccharide and DNA reactions were evaluated by the computer image analysis. Light microscopic investigation of liver of rats treated with Cr [VI] showed massive vacuolar degeneration and circumscribed nodule formed of a homogenous acidophilic material infiltrated by mononuclear cells. Apoptic cells with deep eosinophilic cytoplasm and small deeply stained [pyknotic] or fragmented nuclei were clearly demonstrated together with fatty degeneration manifested by round empty well-circumscribed spaces. Necrosis of hepatocytes was observed, they showed irregular nuclei densly packed with chromatin. At the ultrastructural level the hepatocytes revealed that endoplasmic reticulum was slightly swollen and vesiculated. In addition, different degrees of mitochondrial damage were present in the form of differences in shape and size and distortion of their ridges. The results have manifested a possible protective role of ginseng extract on the general cellular morphology, as well as significant improvement in glycogen and DNA contents in ginseng treated rats against chromium toxicity