In vitro and In vivo antioxidant effect of Spirulina platensis against Lead induced toxicity in rats

Lead is considered one of the wide spread environmental pollutants in Iraq. Nowadays, some types of algae can be the solution by utilizing them as natural medications to cure many diseases. This scientific article is intended to examine spirulina action as an antioxidant to cure lead acetate induced injury in rats. The total numbers of rats used were (48), the rats were divided into eight groups, (42 rats) represented the treated group and 6 rats represented the control group. 36 Rats of treated groups were injected initially with different concentrations of lead acetate; while the rest 6 rats were only fed with Spirulina. All our samples were examined by biochemical, hematological and immunohistological methods. Our experiments proved that Spirulina had an antioxidant action which can support the body defense system. Malondialdehyde (MAD), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) were increased in lead injected group; while they decreased in the spirulina fed group. There was a significant enhancement in lipid profile values of treated group that were fed spirulina. In addition, it noticed that the values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in rats injected by lead, then fed spirulina were decreased; this decrement was evidence in the histological results. Moreover, the hematological results of rats fed with spirulina appeared that the leukocyte and platelet numbers also decreased; while the erythrocyte, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels were increased, unlike, rats injected with only lead. The conclusion was that Spirulina ability to do obvious decrement in the poisonous action of lead was done by its scavenger free radical activity and its effective antioxidant activity.