Vitamin C and onion juice versus aflatoxin B1 effect on liver nucliec acids of rats: a quantitative histochemical study

ABSTRACT

In this study four groups of adult female albino rats were used [each 12 rats] first was used as control the second was given aflatoxin B1 intraperitoneal [i.p.] at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days the third was treated as the second, in addition to administration of Vit. C i.p. at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days, while the fourth one was treated also as the second and given onion juice at a dose of 20 ml/kg/day for 5 consecutive days. The quantitative histochemical analysis of liver DNA and RNA was done by measuring their optical density by Licca quantimat 500 + Image Analyzer Equipment. England [easy, rapid technique and supplied by a personal computer]. There was a significant decrease in DNA [65.89%] and RNA [71.19%] levels in the aflatoxin group when compared with control and decreased significantly when compared with the other two treated groups. These changes were related to the effect of aflatoxin and its epoxides on nucleic acids metabolism and formation of nucleic acid adducts.The aflatoxin-Vit. C and aflatoxin-onion juice groups showed non significant change when compared with the control i.e. improved and reached nearly to the control levels. This improvement was explained mainly by the anti-oxidant effect of Vit-C and onion juice constituents as S. methyl methane thiosulfonate and S. methyl-L.cysteine sulfoxide, in addition to some aromatic isothiocyanates, as well as some organosulphur compounds that proved to have an antimutagenic and/or anticarcinogenic effects