This study was carried out on four groups of male Wistar rats, 10 rats per group. Group I got open access to food
intake and water with normal balanced diet. Group II was administered 400 mg ginger per kg body weight (BW) and
zinc chloride (ZnCl2) (300 mg/L) diluted in tap water for 4 months. Group III was administered malathion at a dose of
50 mg/kg BW/day in 0.2 mL corn oil via gavages for 4 months. This dose equal to 1/50 of the LD50. Group IV was given
a mixture of 400 mg ginger per kg BW and ZnCl2 (300 mg/L) diluted in tap water in addition to 100 mg malathion/kg
BW for 4 months. The liver showed histopathological changes include congestion, edema, and leucocytic infiltrations
which were ameliorated by the addition of ginger and ZnCl2 mixture. The kidney showed cloudy swelling and hydropic
degeneration of the renal tubules. These changes were ameliorated by the addition of ginger and ZnCl2 mixture. Ki67
immunoreactivity was localized in the cytoplasm and nuclear membrane. Its expression was estimated as the percentage
of cells positively stained by the antibody in the different groups. In conclusion, malathion was toxic to the liver and
kidney and must be avoided and protected by the addition of ginger and zinc mixture. |
