The study highlights the protective effect of Spirulina treatment on cadmium induced oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in Wistar rats. The study consisted of four groups in all with eight animals in each group. Control animals received physiological saline orally for 15 days. Second group animals received CdCl2 (2mg/kg in 0.9% NaCl s.c.) whereas, third group animals were administered Spirulina platensis extract alone (1000mg/5ml/kg, orally). Fourth group animals were treated with Spirulina extract for a week and thereafter Spirulina and cadmium chloride was administered concomitantly for another 15 days. Cadmium intoxicated rats showed significant increase (p<0.05) in lipid peroxidation (TBARS), aspartate amino phosphatase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities whereas, a marked decline was observed in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity. However, animals treated with Spirulina platensis extract and concomitant cadmium chloride intoxication showed a significant (p<0.05) decrease in LPO level, AST and ALT activity and increase in SOD and GPx activity. Cadmium intoxication produced various pathological lesions in the liver, whereas, Spirulina treated rats exhibited minimal histological changes in hepatic tissue. Thus, the results obtained from the present study suggest that oral administration of Spirulina platensis extract provides protection against CdCl2 induced toxicity in Wistar rats.
