Introduction: Arsenic is an environmental toxicant and a human carcinogen. Epidemiology studies link human arsenic exposure to various diseases and cancers, including liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma. From this point of view, this study is designed to investigate the effects of arsenic histologically and histochemically on the liver of adult male rabbits.
Material and methods: twenty adult male rabbits were used and divided into four groups. Each group consisted of five rabbits, one group used as a control given an equivalent volume of distilled water and three groups given sodium arsenite in distilled water for 6, 12 and 18 weeks respectively. Paraffin sections from all groups prepared and stained by haematoxylin and eosin, and periodic acid-schiff.
Results: histological and histochemical changes in arsenic groups were marked vacuolation of hepatocytes with focal areas of hepatocellular degeneration. Loss of hepatic architecture was also observed. Marked dilatation and congestion of the central veins and mononuclear cellular infiltration were obvious. Quantitative analysis of intracellular glycogen stores of all groups using image analyzing system revealed gradual significant depletion of intracellular glycogen stores.
Conclusion: it was concluded that arsenic is a hepatotoxic agent in the adult male rabbits.