The effects of cadmium chloride on the oesophagus of rats / Efecto del cloruro de cadmio sobre el esófago de ratas

Cadmium Chloride (CdC1) is a teratogen which is commonly used in industry. Although it is well known to cause toxicity in testes, kidney, heart and liver, few studies have been carried out in the digestive system. In the present study the effects of CdC1 on the esophagus of rats were investigated Wistar albino rats weighing 180 ­ 200 g were used. The animals were divided into two groups; one group was administered 2 mg/kg/day CdC1 intraperitoneally for one week. Esophagus was removed and placed in 10 percent formaline. Sections were stained with Hematoxylene-Eosine and observed under light microscopy. Hyperplasia in the epithelium, an increase in fibrotic cells under epithelium, hemorrhage in vessels, free floating erythrocytes were all observed following fetal exposure. In conclusion and most importantly, cadmium chloride was found to cause an increase in connective tissue in esophagus mucosa.

El cloruro de cadmio (CdCl2) es una sustancia teratogénica utilizada en la industria. Aunque es conocido por causar toxicidad en testículos, riñones, corazón e hígado, pocos estudios se han realizado en el sistema digestivo. Se estudió el efecto del CdCl2 en el esófago de ratas. Fueron utilizadas 24 ratas Wistar albinas de180-200 g. Los animales fueron divididos en dos grupos: a un grupo se le administró 2 mg/kg/día de CdCl2 vía intraperitoneal durante una semana, y un grupo control. Luego, el esófago fue extraído y fijado en formalina al 10 por ciento. Las secciones fueron teñidas con H-E, examinándose al microscopio óptico. Se observó después de la exposición fetal, hiperplasia epitelial, con un aumento en las células fibróticas en el epitelio y hemorragia en los vasos sin eritrocitos flotantes. Es importante destacar que el cloruro de cadmio causó incremento en el tejido fibroso de la mucosa esofágica.

Comparative hepatic and renal toxicity of cadmium in male and female rats.

Rats (male and female) were exposed to 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg cadmium as cadmium chloride for 3 days and subsequently sacrificed for cadmium concentration and other biochemical variables indicative of hepatic and renal damage. The absorption of cadmium was supported by biochemical changes, which were significantly higher in females than in males. This could be due to higher rate of intestinal absorption of cadmium in females than males. Male and female rats both showed relatively higher cadmium concentration in kidneys than in liver. Female rats also showed the similar trend in tissue metal levels as compared to male rats. However, hepatic and renal histopathological observations showed that female rats suffered from severe hepatic injury like hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes, granulation, bile duct proliferation etc. In comparison to female rats, male rats did not show much remarkable changes. Renal damage was more prominent in female than male in the form of renal tubular damage; most of the tubular nuclei were pyknotic, congestion of the boundary of cortex and medulla etc. The results suggested that females were comparatively more vulnerable to the toxic effects of cadmium than males.

Immunotoxicity of soluble and insoluble salts of cadmium instilled intratracheally.

Rats were intratracheally (i.t.) exposed to 36.5 or 27.5 microg of cadmium (Cd) as soluble cadmium chloride (CdCl2) and insoluble cadmium oxide (CdO) salts. The retention of metal in lungs, liver and kidney was assessed by atomic adsorption spectrophotometer. The animals were intraperitoneally (i.p.) primed with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and assessed for the number of antibody forming cells in lung associated lymph nodes (LALN) and spleen. Both the compounds had similar retention of metal in lungs but CdO induced more pulmonary inflammatory and degradative changes than CdCl2. The larger influx of polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) following CdO exposure appears to be due to the absence of protection afforded by Cd induced metallothionein cytoplasmic protein while the Cd metallothionein complex formed in the case of CdCl2 is more protective. However both forms of Cd had similar local immunosuppressive potential but CdO had more prolonged suppressive effect.