Wheat germ oil (WGO) is a natural source of
antioxidant such as glycosylated hydroquinone,
tocopherols, and it is an excellent source of
polyunsaturated fatty acids. The point of the
present study is to see how efficient is the WGO
against phenylhydrazine (PHZ) induced
hemotoxicity in rats. Rats were divided into five
groups (six rats each); control group (normal
rats), WGO group (administrated by daily oral
dose of WGO, 300 mg/kg b.w.), PHZ group
(injected intraperitoneally with a daily dose of
PHZ, 60 mg/kg b.w. for 3 consecutive days),
treated group (injected with PHZ then after 3
days administered by WGO) and protective
group (administrated daily by WGO for 11 days
then injected with PHZ). At the end of the
experimental period 14 days, blood samples
were collected in 2 groups of tubes, one
containing EDTA for determination of blood
parameters and the second without
anticoagulant for separation of serum used for
determination of physiological and biochemical
parameters. The results showed that the PHZ
induced significant decreases in haematological
parameters (RBCs, Hb, Hct, and PLT), serum
proteins (total protein, albumin and globulin) and
antioxidant enzymes (CAT, GPX and SOD)
activity and significant increases in white blood
cells (WBCs), erythropoietin hormone, serum
ferritin level, serum liver function parameters
(ALT, AST, TBIL, and ALP), serum kidney
function parameters (creatinine, urea and uric
acid) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content.
Administration of WGO improved the
haematological parameters, erythropoietin
hormone, ferritin level, serum proteins, liver
function parameters, kidney function
parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities and
MDA content in rats injected with PHZ. In
conclusion, the results of the present study
revealed that the WGO has therapeutic and
protective roles in improving the haemolytic
anaemia and toxicity induced by PHZ.