Role of Antioxidant Supplementation in Enhancing Chelation Therapy for Lead-Induced Oxidative Stress in Rats

Background and aim Lead poisoning is an increasingly critical issue in environmental and public health due to its ability to induce oxidative stress (OS), which contributes to various diseases. While chelation therapy is widely used to lower blood lead levels, it does not fully counteract the OS caused by lead exposure. Recent research suggests that combining chelation therapy with antioxidants may enhance its effectiveness by mitigating oxidative damage. This study evaluates whether supplementing chelation therapy with vitamin C can improve its efficacy in reducing OS in lead-exposed rats. Material and methods Forty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: a control group, a lead-exposed group, a chelation therapy group, and a group that was given both chelation therapy and antioxidants. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase activity, and glutathione (GSH) levels were determined to assess the efficiency of the treatment. Results The outcomes revealed that chelation therapy lowered some of the OS indicators, but this was much more pronounced when carrying out chelation therapy in combination with antioxidant intake. More particularly, the combination therapy group had an MDA level closer to control and significantly higher SOD and catalase activity, and nearly normal GSH levels. Conclusion The results of the present study indicate that antioxidant supplementation might provide synergistic support to chelation therapy for the management of lead-induced OS.