PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF TOCOPHEROL AGAINST MERCURIC CHLORIDE TOXICITY ON BLOOD PARAMETERS

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that may exist in elemental, inorganic or organic form and in various oxidation states. Mercury is widely used in thermometers, thermostats, mercury arc lamps, mercury vapor lamp, mirror, extracting gold and silver from ores, electric rectifiers, dental amalgams for filling teeth, ointments, disinfectants, antiseptics, etc. while inorganic mercury salt i.e. mercuric chloride is commonly used in agriculture as fungicide. Mercury may enter inside the body through inhalation, skin contact or ingestion by contaminated food or water. Antioxidants are chemicals that diffuse free radicals and other damaging molecular fragments in the body. During normal cellular metabolism, damaging byproducts is created. Antioxidants counteract these cellular byproducts, called free radicals and bind with them before they can cause damage. If left unchecked, free radicals may cause heart damage, cancer, cataract and a weak immune system. Vitamin E is an antioxidant for the present study, an essential fat-soluble vitamin which includes eight naturally occurring compounds. The most active form of Vitamin E is α-Tocopherol. In the present study effect of Tocopherol against Mercuric chloride was studied for which four simultaneous groups of rats were treated with mercuric chloride (0.3mg/ml), tocopherol (0.5 ml/day), mercuric Chloride & tocopherol and control. Hematological parameter like Hemoglobin percentage and blood sugar was studied. Result reveals that due to mercuric chloride hemoglobin percentage and blood sugar were lowered, but when they treated with tocopherol slight recoupment was noticed at earlier duration and it is believed that for longer duration moderate recoupment will be observed in various hematological parameters.