Biochemical and Histopathological Changes in Potassium Bromate- fed Rats

The present study aimed to clarify the toxic effect of potassium bromate in Wister albino rats. Eighteen 60- days-old, rats were allotted at random to three groups. The first group served as control, and the other groups received potassium bromate dietary at doses of 300 and 600mg /kg body weight for 8 weeks. The results revealed that there was no death through the period of the study of 8 weeks. There was no significant change (Pless than0.05) in the body weights and organs weights of all groups during the first 30 days but there was significant decrease (Pless than0.05) in body weights and significant increase in kidney, liver and brain weights for the group treated with 600 mg/kg of potassium bromate. There was also a significant increase (Pless than0.05) in the kidney weight for the group treated with 300 mg/kg body weight of potassium bromate compared with the control group. Significant increases of urea, creatinine and albumins levels beside significant decreases in Package Cell Volume (PCV), Hemoglobin (HB) and Red blood cell (RBC) were evident in groups treated with 300 and 600 mg/kg body weight of potassium bromate. Significant increases (Pless than0.05) ocuured in Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the group treated with 600 mg/kg body weight of potassium bromate. Histopathological examination of the group of rats treated with 600 mg/kg body weight of potassium bromate showed congestion in the liver beside marked demylenation change in brain (brain edema). In the study, no renal tumor, no changes in the heart, spleen or stomach were observed probably because of the short duration (8 weeks) of feeding.