Ameliorative effect of L-methionine on Pb-exposed mice.

The present investigation was carried out to study the ameliorative effects of L-Met (L-methionine) on Pb-exposed mice by the measurement of the weight gain, the weight of organs, the Hb content, the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO), and the Pb and Fe contents of selected organs and serum. Thirty mice were randomly divided into the healthy control group (A), the Pb control group (B), and the Pb+L-Met-treated group (C). Lead-induced depression of growth and Hb content was reversed when L-Met was added to the daily drinking water. The level of LPO of all the samples from group B was significantly higher than group A (p<0.05); however, in group C, it was lowered, especially that in the brain, kidney, and serum, which were not significantly different than normal (p>0.05). Significant enhancement of Pb content (p<0.05) and significant decrease of Fe content of all the samples in group B (p<0.05) were observed. However, dietary Met significantly lowered Pb concentration of all the samples (p<0.05) compared to that of the liver and kidney, reaching no significance in comparison to group A (p>0.05). The Fe concentration changed little (p>0.05). The result suggests that L-Met has an ameliorative effect on Pb-exposed mice.