Objective   To study the effects of vitamin C(VC)and vitamin E(VE)pretreatment on the toxicity of mercury(Hg).

  Methods   Forty-eight Wistar rats were divided into six groups randomly, control group, three Hg groups, VC or VE pretreatment groups.At 48 hours after the last injection, the animals were sacrificed, and the liver and renal cortex were collected.Hg, malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione(GSH)contents and glutathione-peroxidase(GSH-Px)activities in the liver and renal cortex were measured.

  Results   Hg contents in the liver and renal cortex increased with Hg dose increasing, and high-dose Hg group was significantly higher than the control group.Hg contents in the renal cortex of all groups were higher than those in the liver.GSH contents and GSH-Px activities in the liver of middle-dose Hg group were higher significantly than the control values.GSH contents and GSH-Px activities in the renal cortex of low and middle dose Hg groups were higher significantly than the control values.MDA contents in the renal cortex of middle and high dose Hg groups were higher significantly than the control values.MDA contents in the renal cortex of VC and VE pretreatment groups were lower significantly than those of the high-dose Hg group.GSH contents, GSH-Px activities in the renal cortex and GSH contents in the liver of VC and VE pretreatment groups increased significantly as compared with those of the control and high -dose Hg groups.

  Conclusion   VC and VE could protest against the toxicity induced by Hg.