Vitamin E Attenuates Glyphosate-Induced Multi-Organ Toxicity and Redox Imbalance in Rats: Biochemical and Histopathological Evidence

Glyphosate, the world’s most widely used herbicide, is of growing concern in both human and veterinary medicine because livestock, companion, and working animals may be chronically exposed through feed, water, and grazing on treated land. This study evaluates the protective effects of vitamin E (α-tocopherol acetate) against chronic glyphosate-induced hepatotoxicity, multi-organ histopathological damage, and disturbances of systemic redox balance in male Wistar rats. Fifty-six rats were allocated to six groups: control, low-dose glyphosate (LG, 560 mg/kg/day), high-dose glyphosate (HG, 1120 mg/kg/day), LG + vitamin E, HG + vitamin E, and vitamin E alone. Treatments were administered by oral gavage for 30 days at equalised dosing volumes. Serum oxidant/antioxidant markers—total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and the oxidative stress index (OSI)—hepatic enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP, LDH), renal markers (urea, creatinine) and cardiac marker creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were measured; liver, lung, kidney, testis and heart were examined histopathologically. Glyphosate produced dose-dependent hepatocellular enzyme elevations (AST, ALT) and progressive multi-organ histopathological injury. Contrary to expectation, serum TOS and OSI did not increase in the glyphosate-only groups but were instead lower than in controls, accompanied by a compensatory rise in TAS—indicating that circulating oxidant markers may underestimate tissue-level oxidative injury at this exposure duration. Vitamin E co-administration markedly enhanced TAS, lowered TOS relative to the corresponding glyphosate group (HG + VitE vs. HG, p = 0.007), reduced OSI and substantially attenuated histopathological damage across all examined organs. Vitamin E thus mitigates glyphosate-induced tissue injury and improves systemic antioxidant capacity, supporting its potential as a protective dietary antioxidant in animals subject to chronic glyphosate exposure.