Ecological and toxicological evaluation of the possibility of selenium application for the correction of lead intoxication in Wistar rats

Excessive intake of heavy metals (HM) into the diet of animals and humans with plant food and water is due to water, soil, and plants contamination with HM. In this regard, it seems relevant to develop new methods and study of biochemical mechanisms of detoxification in the body. The use of antagonist elements, in particular selenium, deserves special attention. To assess the possibility of selenium application for correction of metabolic disorders caused by toxic doses of lead in the body, a subacute experiment was conducted for 14 days on male Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups of 15 rats each. The first group was the control (intact animals). The experimental groups “Se”, “Pb”, “Pb+Se” received daily oral administration of 1 mg/kg lead or/and selenium compounds. After the experiment, the organs of the animals were examined for selenium content using a fluorometric method. The blood plasma was examined for the content of biochemical indicators characterizing liver and kidney function, as well as the content of substances with low and medium molecular weight. The activity of antioxidant enzymes and indicators of lipid peroxidation were determined in the liver and kidney homogenates. Our results showed that changes in liver and kidney function in the “Se” and “Pb” groups were associated with impaired energy metabolism, hypoxia, and oxidative stress, leading to intensified peroxidation processes and disruption of organ membrane structures. The administration of selenium-containing compounds on the background of lead compounds promotes activation of the antioxidant system. However, both hypoxia and impaired energy metabolism are still observed, as evidenced by increased levels of lactate, glucose, and aspartate aminotransferase activity. The results contribute to understanding the biochemical aspects of lead and selenium action in animals. The obtained data can serve as a basis for developing pathogenetically justified methods for correcting micronutrient imbalances based on the interaction between selenium and HM.