Influence of cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, and sodium vanadate on the glutathione‐conjugating enzyme system in liver, kidney, and brain of mice

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Abstract
Sublethal doses of CdCl 2 (3 mg/kg iv), HgCl 2 (2 mg/kg iv), or NaVO 3 (6 mg/kg iv) did not alter the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in the livers of mice during the 24‐h observation period. In the kidneys, a tendency to increased GSH content was seen, especially after HgCl 2 treatment; in lung and brain the GSH levels were significantly lowered upon the treatment with all three metals. The activities of GSH S‐transferase toward an aryl substrate (CDNB; 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene) was enhanced in all tissues by the administration of HgCl 2 > NaVO 3 > CdCl 2 . The activity of GSH S‐transferase toward an epoxide substrate [1,2‐epoxy‐3‐(p‐nitrophenoxy)pro‐pane was only measurable in the livers and was inhibited 1 and 2 h after the administration of HgCl 2 and NaVO 3 . It is concluded that sublethal doses of CdCl 2 , HgCl 2 , or NaVO 3 do not impair the GSH concentration and GSH‐conjugating enzyme activities toward the aryl substrate in different target organs of their toxicity, which is in contrast to results obtained in vitro.