Hemotoxic effects of cadmium in normal and protein malnourished rats

Abstract

Cadmium is chemically related to zinc and found wherever zinc occurs in nature. Cadmium is emitted to air and water by mines, metal foundries, viz. brass and industries using Cadmium in alkaline accumul ators, alloys, paints and plastics. Cadmium exposure results in increase of concentration of a protein, call ed metallothionein, which plays an important role in detoxification of heavy metals. In persons not expos ed to high amounts of cadmium, the concentration of cadmium in blood, bound mainly to red blood cells, is very small, less than 1 μg/100 mL whole blood. Gontzea and Popescu 1 revealed that rats reared on low protein (casein 8.8%) diet were more susceptible to the adverse effects (blood and liver enzyme para meters) of injected Cd, than control given a diet with 17.8% casein. The present study was conducted on rats maintained on normal (21% protein) and protein malnourished (8% protein) diets. Exposure to cad mium in growing rats induced structural anomalies in the erythrocytes and leukocytes. Microcytic hypo chromic anemia with erythrocytopenia and leuko cytopenia were evident. Protein malnutrition appears to enhance the vulnerability of the animals to these changes.

Toxicoproteomic approaches for analysis of microbial community inhabiting Asian dust particles

“…The dust particles can also affect the human health which can be estimated from the increase in admissions to hospitals and visits to clinics for a wide range of allergy related and chronic respiratory problems 18,19 . The adverse effect of dust storms on health has been studied experimentally through studies on animals and biomarkers 18,[20][21][22] . Some studies conducted on the relations between dust storms and morbidity or mortality has shown positive associations but the results are not consistent.…”