Deleterious effects of potassium bromate administration on renal and hepatic tissues of Swiss mice

Potassium bromate (KBrO(3)) is widely used as a food additive and is a major water disinfection by-product. The present study reports the side effects of KBrO(3) administration in Swiss mice. Animals were randomly divided into three groups: control, low dose KBrO(3) (100 mg/kg/day) and high dose KBrO(3) (200 mg/kg/day) groups. Administration of KBrO(3) led to decreased white blood corpuscles (WBCs), red blood corpuscles (RBCs) and platelets count in the animals of both the high and the low dose groups. Altered lipid profile represented as low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and cholesterol levels were observed in plasma samples of both KBrO(3) treated groups of mice. Also, an increased plasma level of LDH was detected in both KBrO(3) treated groups. Histological investigations showed impaired renal and hepatic histology that was concomitant with increased plasma Creatinine level in both of KBrO(3)-treated groups. Nevertheless, decreased glutathione (GSH) level in both renal and hepatic tissue of mice after KBrO(3) intake was detected. These results show that KBrO(3) has serious damaging effects and therefore, its use should be avoided.