ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTION OF LEAD AND CADMIUM ON REPRODUCTION AND METABOLISM OF MALE RATS

  • 1 January 1976
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 14  (4) , 689-713
Abstract
To study the environmental interaction of Pb and Cd on reproduction and metabolism of 70 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided equally into 7 groups. Groups 1 and 2 served as controls, 3 and 4 were injected daily with 50 and 250 .mu.g of Pb, respectively, 5 and 6 with 50 and 250 .mu.g of Cd, respectively, and group 7 with 25 .mu.g of both Pb and Cd. After 70 days of injections rats were sacrificed. In group 6 Cd injection caused enlargement of adrenal, liver, kidney and spleen but retarded growth, reduction in size of prostate, testes, epididymis and hepatic enzyme activity. Groups 4 and 6 had the highest and most significant mineral concentration in blood and liver. Testes histology of group 7 showed an absence of spermatogenesis in some seminiferous tubules indicating that low levels of Pb and Cd together had a more synergetic damaging effect on rat testes than higher levels of Pb or Cd alone. This study suggests that blood mineral levels should be used with other more sensitive clinical tests to assess the toxicity picture in humans.

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