Zinc modulates lithium-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

The present study explored the hepatoprotective role of zinc in lithium-induced hepatotoxicity.

Rats received either lithium treatment in diet at a dose level of 1.1 g/kg diet, zinc alone at a dose level of 227 mg/L in drinking water, and combined lithium plus zinc or drinking water alone for different time durations of 1, 2 and 4 months. This study explored the hepatic marker enzymes, antioxidant status and histopathological investigations in the liver of rats following different treatments.

The activities of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and alkaline phosphatase were found to be elevated significantly following 2 and 4 months of lithium treatment. Lithium-treated rats showed a significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase and a significant inhibition in the levels of reduced glutathione, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase, following 2 and 4 months of treatment. However, zinc co-administration revealed significant improvement in the altered activities of hepatic marker and antioxidant enzymes in comparison with lithium-treated animals. Lithium-treated rats also indicated drastic alterations in hepatic histoarchitecture and zinc co-administration resulted in improvement in the structure of hepatocytes.

The present study suggests the protective potential of zinc in lithium-induced hepatotoxicity.