Pharmacological intervention of tiferron and propolis to alleviate beryllium-induced hepatorenal toxicity.

Intervention of chelating agent tiferron (sodium-4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzene disulfonate; 300 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) with propolis (honey beehive product; 200 mg/kg, p.o.) was evaluated to encounter the characteristic biochemical and ultra-morphological alterations following subchronic exposure to beryllium. Female albino rats were challenged with beryllium nitrate (1 mg/kg, i.p.) daily for 28 days followed by treatment of the above-mentioned therapeutic agents either individually or in combination for five consecutive days. Exposure to beryllium increased its concentration in the serum, liver and kidney, and caused significant alterations in cytochrome P450 activity, microsomal lipid peroxidation and proteins. Activities of alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin, creatinine and urea in the serum and activity of acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, adenosine triphosphatase, glucose-6-phophatase and succinic dehydrogenase in the liver and kidney were significantly altered after beryllium administration. Beryllium exposure also induced severe hepatorenal alterations at histopathological and ultra-morphological level. Tiferron along with propolis dramatically reversed the alterations in all the variables more towards control rather than their individual treatment. The study concludes that pharmacological intervention of tiferron and propolis is beneficial in attenuating beryllium-induced systemic toxicity.