The Effect of Selenium on the Biliary Excretion and Organ Distribution of Mercury in the Rat after Exposure to Methyl Mercuric Chloride

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Abstract
The influence of Se compounds on the biliary excretion and organ distribution of Hg after injection of methyl mercuric chloride (4 .mu.mol/kg) was tested. Selenite, seleno-di-N-acetylglycine and seleno-methionine strongly inhibited biliary excretion of Hg. Selenite even in a molar dose of 1/40 of the methyl mercury dose inhibited the biliary excretion of Hg. The less toxic seleno-di-N-acetylglycine was needed in larger molar doses and did not act as rapidly as selenite. Biliary excreted methyl mercury is partly reabsorbed in the gut. Subsequently a part of it is deposited in the kidney, since drainage of the bile lowered the kidney content of Hg. Rats given Se compounds in combination with bile drainage showed further reduction of the kidney Hg content than bile duct drainage alone. The demonstrated lowering effect of Se compounds on kidney Hg content cannot be completely explained by an inhibition of bilary excretion of Hg. The Ag concentration in the brain was increased by the Se compounds, the effect being dependent on the Se dose reaching a maximum at an equimolar selenite: methyl mercury dose ratio. The mechanisms by which Se influences methyl mercury kinetics are discussed.