Vitamin E Alleviates Diethylhexyl Phthalate-Induced Haemato-logical Changes and Splenic Oxidative Injury in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

Abstract

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a ubiquitous environmental toxicant with high exposure potential to man mainly through leaching from water and foods plastics packages. Exposure to DEHP is associated with cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and splenic toxicity. In the present study, the effect of alpha tocopherol (α-tocopherol) on the DEHP-induced alteration in hematology and oxidative injury in the spleen of male Sprague Dawley rats was investigated. Animals were exposed daily for six weeks to 5 mg/kg bd.wt DEHP and 10 mg/kg bd.wt Vitamin E either alone or in combination. Control rats were given olive oil throughout the duration of the experiment. Organ weight indices and hematology parameters including packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes and neutrophils were determined in test and control rats. In addition, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismustase (SOD), catalase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were determined in the spleen. Histology of the spleen was also evaluated. Hematoxicity of DHEP was characterized by decreased PCV, WBC counts and neutrophil, while eosinophil was markedly elevated. DHEP administration resulted in oxidative stress that was manifested by elevated MDA and GST coupled with decreases in SOD and catalase activities. The spleen sections from DEHP-treated rats showed congestion and hyperplasia. However, Vitamin E modulated the hematological parameters and alleviated oxidative changes caused by DEHP exposure. Vitamin E also prevented DHEP associated lesions in the spleen. Therefore, Vitamin E could be useful in controlling hematotoxicty and splenic oxidative injury caused by DEHP intoxication.