CHANGES IN LEVELS OF ANTIOXIDANT MINERALS AND VITAMINS IN WISTAR MALE RATS EXPOSED TO METHIONINE CONTAINING ACETAMINOPHEN FORMULATION

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of toxic and subtoxic doses of acetaminophen on antioxidant vitamins and minerals in male Wistar rats. Five groups served as the test groups and received different doses of the acetaminophen\methionine formulation in ratio 9:1. The sixth group served as the control and received only the vehicle: physiologic saline. At the end of 24 hours of exposure, blood was obtained from each rat through retro-orbital bleeding, the levels of antioxidant vitamins and minerals were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography and atomic absorption spectrophotometric technique. Results showed that at 100 mg/kg BW level of exposure, niacin, vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium were significantly increased (p< 0.05) whereas riboflavin was not significantly different (p>0.05) compared with controls. At both 350 and 1000 mg\kg BW levels of exposure, all these antioxidant indices were significantly decreased (p<0.05) except niacin which was not significantly altered (p>0.05) at 350 mg\kg BW (body weight) level of exposure compared with the control group. The animals in 3000 mg\kg BW and 5000 mg\kg groups suffered 40% and 100% mortality respectively by the end of the 24^th hour. This study therefore showed that acetaminophen\methionine formulation in the ratio of 9:1 may cause alteration of vital elements and biomolecules not only at toxic levels but also at tolerable level of 100 mg\kg BW.