الفهرس 
Introduction and aim of workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Introduction: Iron is essential to aerobic life. It is the fourth most abundant element on the earth. It is required for cell growth and proliferation. It has a role in the activity of ribonucleotide reductase, a key enzyme in DNA synthesis, which turns over rapidly and needs a continuous supply of iron to maintain its activity. Aim of work: This work was done to study the effect of iron overload on some organs (liver, kidney and pancreas) of male albino rat and try to throw some light on vitamin E as antioxidant. Patients and methods: Control group (A): comprised 20 rats and given standard food for 7 weeks. The experimental group (comprised 40 rats) was subdivided into 4 subgroups (B, C, D and E) 10 rats each. Groups B, C and D were given standard food mixed with iron acetate in ascending increasing dose (1350, 5000, 8000 mg/kg) respectively for 7 weeks. However, group E were given the food mixed with iron acetate (8000 mg/kg) and vitamin E (200 mg/kg) for 7 weeks. Twenty four hours after the end of each experiments, the animals were scarified and blood samples were collected from both control and experimental groups to measure the serum iron level. The liver, kidney and pancreas were dissected rapidly and processed for light and electron microscopic study. Results: excess iron deposition in the organs (liver, kidney and pancreas) in cases of iron overload led to cellular injury in the form of vacuolated cytoplasm, pyknotic nuclei and degenerated membranous organelles (e.g. mitochodria, rER, Glogi apparatus and lysosomes). In addition, Iron overload led to inflammatory process indicated by cellular infiltrate and an increase in the collagenous fibers proliferation. It also led to depletion of glycogen in hepatocytes and decreased granules of islet cells of the pancreas. Vitamin E intake in iron overloaded rats showed partial improvement of the liver as the histological alternation were only at the periportal areas with minimal collagen deposition. While, in the kidney vitamin E showed no or minimal effect in protection from the harm of iron overload a part from decreased collagen proliferation. In the pancreas, vitamin E also partially protected it from the effect of iron overload. Conclusions: our findings indicate that vitamin E intake in iron overloaded rats showed partial improvement in the histological alternation of the liver, kidney and pancreas.