Abstract
► We examine role of flaxseed oil on lead as a model for heavy metal. Lead is a common environmental toxin. The kidney is the critical organ after long-term occupational or environmental exposure to Pb. Flaxseed oil may play a protective role against lead-mediated kidney injury.
Lead is a toxic metal inducing many destructive effects leading to a broad range of physiological, biochemical, and neurological dysfunctions in humans. Here, we investigated the effects of flaxseed oil (1000
mg/kg) on the outcome of renal cytotoxicity induced by lead acetate (20
mg/kg) in male rats. Lead induced injury of the renal tissue. This was evidenced (i) as increases in lead concentration in the kidney, (ii) as increases in the histopathological damage of the renal tissue, (iii) as increases in uric acid, urea and creatinine, (iv) as increases in lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, and (v) as lowered glutathione levels and decreased activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase, respectively. All these lead-induced parameters were significantly altered during flaxseed oil treatment. Therefore, our study suggests the role of flaxseed oil in limiting renal cytotoxicity-induced by lead acetate as a model for lead toxicity.