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The aim of this study was to examine the effects of cadmium (Cd), incorporated in radish bulbs, on malondialdehyde and glutathione levels and on superoxide dismutase activity in the liver, kidneys and testes of male rats. The control animals were given diet containing ordinary radish bulbs for 4, 8 and 12 weeks, while contaminated animals were given diet containing Cd-polluted radish bulbs (1.1 mg Cd/g of diet) for the same periods as in the controls. At each time point, rats were euthanized and the liver, kidneys and testes were removed. The results indicated that the body weight gain of contaminated rats was identical to that of the control rats. Cd concentrations in the liver, kidneys and testes increased significantly and gradually from the 4th to 12th week of treatment. Malondialdehyde concentrations decreased significantly in the liver and increased significantly in the kidneys and testes after 12 weeks of treatment, while glutathione levels increased significantly in the liver, and decreased significantly in the kidneys and testes at the same time. No changes were observed in SOD activity in the liver, while in the kidneys and testes, this activity was increased after 12 weeks of treatment as compared with the control rats.

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The present study was performed in order to discern the effects of combined exposure to cadmium and mercury on liver function and histopathological alterations in male adult Wistar rats. In the present investigation, cadmium (100 mg/l) and mercury (25 mg/l) were administered orally for 10 weeks separately or in combination. The rational for studying cadmium and mercury is that both of these metals are encountered frequently in the same contaminated areas. In liver, the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate amino tranferase (AST) increased significantly in the cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) alone or in combination (Cd + Hg) compared to the control suggesting that both cadmium and mercury cause hepatotoxicity spatially when co-administrated. We noted an increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in Cd and combined Cd + Hg treated groups while it decreased in Hg treated group. There was no statistically significant change in the level of total bilirubilin. Serum urea concentration showed a significant increase in the Cd and Hg groups compared to the control group. However an increase in serum creatinine concentration was noted only in the combined treated rats showing that renal insufficiency is more serious in the co-exposed group. Light microscopic examination indicated severe histological changes in the two organs under Cd and mercury influence. Results of the present investigation clearly showed that mercury has profound effects of hepatic handling of cadmium (synergistic effect) as shown by histological and biochemical results. Moreover, we observed a antagonist effect between these two toxic metals on kidney markers such as urea.