Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of environmental contaminant mercuric chloride on levels of trace elements and oxidative parameters in rat lungs and to investigate the efficacy of possible protection by natural antioxidant diallylsulphide (DAS) against lung injury. Twenty-four healthy male rats were randomly divided into four groups: I - control, II - DAS (200 mg/kg), III - HgCl
2
(50 mg/kg), and IV - DAS (200 mg/kg) + HgCl
2
(50 mg/kg). Mercuric chloride induced oxidative stress was indicated by a significant decrease in levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase as compared to the control group (p-<0.05). Also, hydroxyproline (HYP) content in lung tissues of mercuric chloride-treated group was significantly increased (p < 0.05). DAS markedly attenuated mercuric-induced biochemical alterations in lungs by upregulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes. These findings indicated that within the doses selected, DAS can provide significant protection against HgCl
2
-induced toxicity.