Vol. 10, Issue 8 (2021)

Author(s):
Amitava Paul, Karamala Sujatha, CH Srilatha and N Vinod Kumar

Abstract:
Lead, as one of the environmental pollutants, can threat the lives of animals and human beings in many ways; especially during developing stages. Among heavy metals lead is one of the most toxic metals that induce a wide range of behavioral, biochemical, physiological and reproductive dysfunctions in humans and animals. The rationale of current study was to observe the effects of lead acetate on ovary and the protective role of Linum usitatissimum (Flaxseed) and Emblica officinalis (Amla) in female wistar rats. 108 female adult wistar albino rats were randomly assigned into six groups consisting of 18 rats in each, where Group I served as control and they received distilled water. Group II provided with lead acetate @ 60 mg/ kg b.wt., Group III had Emblica officinalis @ 100 mg/ rat/ day, Group IV was fed with Linum usitatissimum @ 300 mg/ kg b.wt, Group V was given lead acetate @ 60 mg/ kg b.wt + Emblica officinalis @ 100 mg/ rat/ day and Group VI received lead acetate @ 60 mg/ kg b.wt + Linum usitatissimum @ 300 mg/ kg b.wt. orally for 45 days. From each group six rats were sacrificed at fourteen days intervals. Blood collected at each sacrifice was allowed to clot for separation of serum and later used for estimation of serum Progesterone and estrogen. Ovary was collected and preserved in neutral buffer Formalin (NBF) for histopathological study. Serum Progesterone (P) and Estrogen (E2) concentration was significantly (P< 0.05) decreased in lead treated group. Light microscopic study of ovary showed severe degenerative changes and Immunohistochemistry with BAX markers in ovary revealed intense immunoreactivity in lead treated rats. The levels of all above parameters were significantly improved in the ameliorated group (Group V and VI). The observations were made in the study indicated that treatment of Amla and Flaxseed to rats concurrently with the lead was shown to have ameliorating effect on different pathological manifestations and the ameliorating effect of Emblica was found to be relatively better than that of Flaxseed except in the levels of sex hormones in which the latter showed better effect (increased the levels).