Sodium selenite is commonly used as a dietary supplement of selenium deficiency and a chemopreventive agent against some types of cancers. On the other hand, the misuse and/or abuse of selenium were accompanied by different toxicity. In the present work the toxicity of daily doses sodium selenite (Se) in albino rats at the level of 1/10 LD50 or 1/20 LD50 for 28 days was studied. The results showed that the growth rate was significantly decreased in Se-treated animals, while the liver and spleen weights were increased. Concerning the histopathological alterations, the liver tissue lost its normal organization, the hepatocytes showed cytoplasmic vacuolation, the intrahepatic blood vessels were congested and inflammatory leucocytic infiltrations were abundant. In the spleen, the red pulp cords were disrupted, the trabeculae were degenerated and the blood vessels became congested. Moreover, total proteins were decreased in the serum of treated animals. Also GDH activity was decreased significantly in the liver while ALT showed a significant increase in the liver of Se-treated rats.
Key words: HISTOPATHOLOGy, BIOCHEMIstry, SELENIUM, LIVER, SPLEEN, ALBINO RATS
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