R. Karmakar et al., Biochemical, haematological and histopathological study in relation to time-related cadmium-induced hepatotoxicity in mice, BIOMETALS, 13(3), 2000, pp. 231-239
In the present investigation sub-chronic hepatic necrosis was induced by ca
dmium chloride and was examined biochemically, haematologically and histopa
thologically in order to study the time-dependent effect and correlation am
ong the parameters. Male balb/c mice were injected with cadmium chloride (2
.5 mg/kg bw s.c.) for each other day and, sacrificed on the 7th day, 14th d
ay and 21th day post exposure. Body weight and relative liver weight did no
t show alteration at any of the time point following the treatment but the
tissue cadmium level showed progressive significant increment values with t
he advancement of time exposure. Most of the biochemical parameters (total
protein, DNA, RNA, cytochrome P450 cotents, alkaline phosphatase and UDP gl
ucuronyl transferase activities), haematological parameters (total red bloo
d cells, total white blood cell, differential white blood cell counts, haem
oglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transam
inase, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase, plasma protein) indicated eithe
r no or less on the alterations/7th day following cadmium exposure. Both th
e light and transmission electron microscopy, on the other hand, indicated
the fact that a minimum of 21 day-exposure was needed to alter the cellular
architecture. So, a certain amount of cadmium load might be required to ad
versely affect the cellular architecture preceeded by biochemical and haema
tological alterations. In this connection, in the present study a possible
mechanism of cadmium-induced hepatoxicity was discussed.