Preventive Effect of CuCl₂on Behavioral Alterations and Mercury Accumulation in Central Nervous System Induced by HgCl₂in Newborn Rats

Abstract

This study investigated the benefits of Cu preexposition on Hg effects on behavioral tests, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and Hg, and essential metal contents in the cerebrum and cerebellum of neonate rats. Wistar rats received (subcutaneous) saline or CuCl2 ·2H2O (6.9 mg/kg/day) when they were 3 to 7 days old and saline or HgCl2 (5.0 mg/kg/day) when they were 8 to 12 days old. Mercury exposure reduced the performance of rats in the negative geotaxis (3-13 days) and beaker test (17-20 days), inhibited cerebellum AChE activity (13 days), increased cerebrum and cerebellum Hg (13 days), cerebrum Cu (13 days), and cerebrum and cerebellum Zn levels (33 days). The performance of rats in the tail immersion and rotarod tests as well as Fe and Mg levels were not altered by treatments. Copper prevented all alterations induced by mercury. These results are important to open a new perspective of prevention and/or therapy for mercury exposure.

Pretreatment with diallylsulphide modulates mercury-induced neurotoxicity in male rats

“…Initial evidence for the anticancer effect of Allium constituents is provided by epidemiological studies (Rivlin, 2001;Pinto & Rivlin, 2001). Antioxidants have been shown to have protective potential in ameliorating metal induced injury either by a metalchelating activity or by increasing the antioxidant enzyme activity (Moraes-Silva et al, 2014;Li et al, 2013;Chiu et al, 2013;Ansar & Iqbal, 2013;Ansar, 2013;Yang et al, 2012;Jindal et al, 2011;Rao et al, 2010;Simoes Pires et al, 2014;Chai et al, 2014). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to study a possible mitigating effect of DAS against acute HgCl 2 neurotoxicity in rats based on oxidative stress and inflammation induction in rats.…”

Inorganic mercury accumulation in brain following waterborne exposure elicits a deficit on the number of brain cells and impairs swimming behavior in fish (white seabream—Diplodus sargus)

“…Structural alterations in those regions regulating the motor system could lead to neurobehavioral impairments (e.g., ataxia, paresthesia, insomnia, tremors) in humans and wildlife (reviewed by ATSDR, 1999). In fact, the motor function of rats was compromised after exposure to iHg, as demonstrated by the negative geotaxis and beaker test (Moraes-Silva et al, 2014). Moreover, the chronic exposure to iHg can impair memory formation in rats, leading to a deficit on object recognition and aversive memories (Mello-Carpes et al, 2013).…”

Vitamin E and Sodium Selenite Against Mercuric Chloride-Induced Lung Toxicity in the Rats

“…Mercuric chloride is one of the most toxic forms of mercury and is primarily nephrotoxic (MoraesSilva 2014). It is well known as hematotoxic (Durak et al 2010), hepatotoxic (Joshi et al 2014;Othman et al 2014), neurotoxic (Moraes-Silva et al 2014), nephrotoxic (Aslanturk et al 2014) and genotoxic (Rozgaj et al 2005) and exerts negative effects on the reproductive system in male rat (Kalender et al 2013). …”