Natural shield against arsenic threat: potential of royal jelly to protect rat liver againts sodium arsenite toxicity.

Abstract

Arsenic, a toxic metalloid and environmental pollutant found in contaminated drinking water, food, air, and soil, induces serious health risks such as liver toxicity through oxidative stress and inflammation caused by reactive oxygen species accumulation. This study, pioneering in its focus on sodium arsenite (SA-NaAsO₂) toxicity, examines its toxic effects on Wistar albino rats and the novel protective role of royal jelly against these effects. Thirty-five male rats (seven/each in five groups): control, royal jelly (200 mg/kg), sodium arsenite (100 mg/kg), sodium arsenite + royal jelly (100 mg/kg), and sodium arsenite + royal jelly (200 mg/kg). Liver tissue was analyzed for oxidative stress markers (glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) using histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Sodium arsenite exposure increased oxidative stress in the liver (elevated MDA levels; decreased GSH, SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activities), triggered inflammation (increased TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels), and caused hepatocyte damage. Royal jelly, particularly at 200 mg/kg, mitigated these effects by boosting antioxidant enzymes, cutting MDA levels, and curbing pro-inflammatory cytokines. The findings confirm royal jelly shields against arsenic-induced liver toxicity, a key pollutant, hinting at its potential as a natural safeguard needing further study.