Clinicopathological studies of experimentally induced Nickel Chloride in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus)

The present work was carried out to study the clinicopathological changes induced by nickel chloride toxicity in rats. Forty adult Wistar rats were divided into four equal groups viz. Group I, Group II, Group III and Group IV. Group I rats received only deionized water and served as control. Group II, Group III and Group IV rats were orally administered daily with nickel chloride at the dose of 5.25 mg/kg (low dose), 10.5 mg/kg (mid dose) and 21 mg/kg (high dose), respectively, for a period of 28 days. Clinical signs in rats included dullness and depression in rats of Group IV receiving high dose (21 mg/kg) of nickel chloride from 21st day of post treatment through drinking. The significant (P < 0.05) decrease in body weight was observed in rats of Group IV from day 21 onwards as compared with the control group. The relative weight of testes and kidney was significantly decreased in male rats, also relative weight of kidney was significantly decreased in female rats. All the rats exposed to nickel chloride at three different dose levels revealed dose dependant pathological changes. The pathomorphological changes comprised of varying degrees of degenerative and vascular changes in various visceral organs. The severity and distribution of such lesions were found higher in rats of group III and IV as compared to group II and control (group I) rats.