To assess liver damages in pregnant and lactating rats and in their suckling pups, wistar female rats were given through drinking water 350 ppm of CoCl
2 (157 ppm Co
2+) from the 14th day of pregnancy until day 14 after d
elivery. The effects of cobalt chloride on lipid peroxidation lev
els, antioxidant enzyme activities, lipid profile and histopathology aspects of liver were evaluated. Biochemical results showed that lipid peroxidation increased significantly in Co-treated rats, as evidenced by high liver thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) lev
els. Alteration of the antioxidant system in treated group was confirmed by the significant decline of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and reduced glutathione (GSH) content in liver of suckling pups and their mothers. Moreover, CoCl
2 exposure induced an increase in the activities of the aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), lactate deshydrogenase (LDH) and bilirubin lev
els in pups and their mothers while liver LDH activity and plasma albumin lev
el were significantly decreased. On the other hand, cobalt chloride induced a marked hypoglycemia, a significant decline in triglycerides and total cholesterol lev
els. Histological studies showed an infiltration of mononuclear c
ells and vascular congestion in liver of pups and their mothers.
Based on the present findings, exposure of rats to CoCl2 during late pregnancy and early postnatal period affects antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation indicating liver damage in mothers and their offspring.