Some biochemical aspects of suckling rats their mothers received different dose of sodium benzoate and nitrite

ABSTRACT

Fifty growing female albino rats [Spragus Dawley strain weighing 40-50g/each] were divided into 5 groups each of ten rats. One of them was fed on the diet free from any preservatives [control], two groups received acceptable and five folds sodium benzoate containing diet, while the last two groups received sodium nitrite at the acceptable and five folds level containing diet. Mature female rats were paired with normal males. Pregnant rats were separated and contained feeding the same diet. After delivery the pups were left for suckling until weanling. Suckling rats were sacrificed under ether anesthesia. Blood samples were taken in dry clean centrifuge tubes from the hepatic portal vein, brain was removed and homogenate in saline solution immediately. The results cleared that the suckling rats developed in mother treated with both sodium benzoate and nitrite at both level showed slightly lower values of serum AST activity. The nitrite treated groups at both levels showed an increase in the activity of serum ALT enzyme. While the suckling rats received high dose of benzoate showed an increase in serum alkaline phosphates activity 61.8%. But the suckling rats received acceptable dose of sodium benzoate showed high decrease in serum bilirubin. Serum urea level was decreased in the groups treated with acceptable dose of benzoate. Furthermore, the suckling rats treated with any of the benzoate or nitrite doses showed remarkable increases of serum uric acid level. While the suckling rats developed in mothers treated with any of the high dose of sodium benzoate or nitrite and suckled from them induced a remarkable increase of serum creatinine level. The high dose of benzoate and nitrite induced a significant decrease of brain RNA content, while the high dose of nitrite showed a decrease of brain DNA contain