A. Nagyova et al., CADMIUM HEPATOTOXICITY IN GUINEA-PIGS WITH DIFFERENT ASCORBIC-ACID INTAKE - HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL-CHANGES, BIOLOGIA, 49(3), 1994, pp. 399-404
Histomorphological and biochemical changes in the liver of male guinea
pigs with low (2 mg/animal/day) and high (100 mg/animal/day) ascorbic
acid (AA) intake intoxicated with cadmium (10 mg Cd/1 liter of drinki
ng water) for 12 weeks were studied. Cadmium intoxication caused micro
vesicular and macrovesicular steatosis leading to coagulative necrosis
. In the group with high AA intake a significant reduction in hepatic
injury was observed. Serum enzyme activities reflecting liver damage,
alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) we
re significantly elevated by cadmium, and the increases were more evid
ent in guinea pigs with low AA intake. In contrast, serum alkaline pho
sphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities were si
gnificantly decreased at the 12th week of cadmium administration. Both
histopathological and biochemical findings showed a protective action
of AA against cadmium hepatotoxicity.