Abstract
The current study was performed to investigate the comparative effect of Turmeric and vitamin C on the oxidative damage caused by sodium nitrite in rats. Sixty albino rats were used, divided into four equal groups, group (1) considered as a control group, group (2) received sodium nitrite (NaNO2) 30mg/kg.bw., group (3) received (NaNO2) 30mg/kg.bw. and vitamin C 200 mg /kg bw., group (4) received (NaNO2) 30mg/kg.bw. and turmeric 0.5g/ kg.bw. Animals were daily treated for five weeks. Sodium nitrite treated Rats showed a microcytic hypochromic anemia , significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in total leukocytes (WBCs), total billirubin , lipid peroxidase(LPO), superoxidedismutase (SOD), significant decrease in glutathione reductase (GR), globulin ( β, γ globulin) and vitamin C value as compared to control group. (NaNO2) with Vitamin C treated Rats showed significant increase in RBCs count, HB value, globulin (β, α) and vitamin C value ,significant decrease in total billirubin, (LPO)and (SOD)as compared to (NaNO2) treated group. (NaNO2) with turmeric treated Rats showed slight ameliorating effect through significant increase in RBCs count but hemoglobin value was declined, significant decrease in total billirubin, (LPO)and (SOD), significant increase in globulin ( γ globulin) and (GR) as compared to (NaNO2) treated group. Histopathological changes of sodium nitrite treated rats after five weeks exhibited cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes, dilated congested veins and mononuclear cells infiltration. The damage also extended to kidney represented by shrinkage glomerular tuft, distention of Bowman’s space, degeneration of lining tubular epithelial, The results declared that vitamin C preceded the turmeric in ameliorate the toxic effect of sodium nitrite on rats.

Key words: Sodium nitrite, Turmeric, Vitamin C, Lipid peroxidation, Superoxidedismutase, Glutathione reductase