BLOOD

A SPECIFIC TARGET DURING ORGANIC MERCURIAL TOXICITY

Abstract

All forms of mercury are global pollutants having no environmental limits.
Human exposure to mercury occurs basically through food chain due to accumulation of
organic forms of mercury in fish. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to analyze
the effect of phenyl mercuric acetate on plasma and cytosolic fraction GSH. Study Design:
Experimental Study. Setting: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy,
Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan. Period: 29 January 2011 to 11 march 2012 .Statistical
Analysis: One-way ANOVA followed by Dunnet’s HSD test. Results: For the estimation of
thiols Ellman’s method was used and was found statistically significant (p < 0.001) decrease
in plasma and cytosolic fraction GSH which was dose and time dependent. The plasma GSH
contents drop in 0 to 120 minutes by various concentrations of phenyl mercuric acetate were
64.45%, 59.33%, 50.89%, 41.56%, 33.63% and 32.99% while drop in cytosolic fraction GSH
level from 0 to 120 minutes by different concentrations of phenyl mercuric acetate (PMA) was
53.86%, 48.60%, 45.41%, 36.11%, 29.38% and 27.06%.Conclusions: It is clear that during
organic mercury toxicity the blood components are also affected which is proved from our
results. With the increase of time ,the mercury toxicity would be more harmful so detoxification
of organic mercury should be done on emergency bases at the earliest with the help of suitable
chelating agents along with antioxidant therapy.