AGE-DEPENDENT HEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSES DURING LEAD NITRATE TOXICITY INMICE

Healthy male mice, aged one month, 6 months and one year were administ ered 3.33 mg/100g body weight of lead nitrate orally for 21 days. Afte r exposure, their bloods were collected to study various haematologica l parameters viz., RBC count, Hb, packed cell volume (PCV), differenti al leukocyte count and platelets. Red cell indices like Mean Corpuscul ar Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and Mean Corposula r Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) were also calculated. Observations of the present study revealed significant reduction in RBC, Hb, PCV an d insignificant reduction in differential leukocyte count except neutr ophils. The increase in MCV, MCH and MCHC values in the present study exhibited a reciprocal relation with the changes in RBC, Hb, and PCV p rofiles. There was an increase in hepatosomatic index indicating stres s condition in the body. Though the pattern of toxic effects remained the same in almost all age groups except in case of one month old mice which were more affected. This could be attributed to a relatively mo re absorption and retention of lead in the body of the young mice.