DETERMINATION OF HYDROXYL RADICAL FORMATION IN THE TESTES OF CADMIUM-TREATED MICE BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

An application of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with e lectrochemical detection to investigate the hydroxyl radical productio n in the testes of cadmium-treated mice is described. Salicylate was u sed as a free radical trapping agent to trap hydroxyl radicals in vivo in the testes of cadmium-treated mice. Using this HPLC method, the pr oducts formed by hydroxyl radical addition to salicylate, 2,3-dihydrox ybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA) and 2,5-dihyroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHBA), were separated and quantitated. It was found that the concentrations of bo th 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA in the testes of cadmium-treated mice were si gnificantly higher than that without the treatment of cadmium. This st udy demonstrated that the tissue damage induced by cadmium was the res ult of the increase in the production of hydroxyl radicals.