Diversification of cadmium-binding proteins due to different levels of contamination in Arion lusitanicus.

Individuals of Arion lusitanicus were collected in the former mining area of Braubach (Federal Republic of Germany) which is highly polluted by various metals. The animals were transferred to the laboratory and fed contaminated litter from their original habitat. Groups of animals from a quarry near Heidelberg were reared in the laboratory and fed diets of different cadmium concentrations. Slugs fed uncontaminated food were used as controls. The concentration of cadmium in the midgut gland of cadmium-fed slugs increased in proportion with the metal concentration of the food. High amounts of zinc and copper were found in the midgut glands of slugs from Braubach. After centrifugation of homogenates, specific patterns of distribution between cytosolic components and pellets were observed for different metals. Cadmium and copper were predominantly bound to cytosolic components, whereas the main portion of zinc was associated with the pellet. In laboratory-fed slugs the increase of cadmium concentration in the food correlated with an increase of the metal content in the homogenate and in two components (supernatant, pellet) of the midgut gland. This correlation was most clearly expressed in the cytosolic components which contained 93-100% of total midgut gland cadmium. Total cadmium in control slugs was associated with components with a molecular weight of more than 15,000. In Braubach and in cadmium-loaded slugs, all the cadmium was bound to a protein with a molecular weight of 10,000, which also contained low amounts of zinc and copper. In highly contaminated individuals fed on the most concentrated cadmium diet, however, a spillover effect was observed, some cadmium being bound to an additional component with a molecular weight of more than 15,000.

[The behavior of antidiarrheal drugs in experiments]. / Das Verhalten antidiarrhoisch wirkender Substanzen im Experiment.

Four antidiarrheal drugs (China clay, bentonite, pectin, Kaoprompt H) are fed to mice by a gastric probe. Eight hours later, samples are taken from small intestine and colon to study the behaviour of the drugs in the gut. Any interactions with the brushborder of the villi at best are possible in the case of pectin. The viscosities of the suspended drugs depending on selected steps of pH are tested. The results are supporting the histological findings. The mechanical effects which may be put on the gut by the drugs are discussed.

[Histological survey on the behaviour of antidiarrheal drugs under in vitro conditions (author's transl)]. / Histologische Untersuchungen zum Verhalten antidiarrhoisch wirkender Substanzen unter in vitro-Bedingungen.

The effect of four antidiarrheal drugs (China clay, bentonite, pectin, Kaoprompt H) on the epithelia of murine small intestine and colon was studied under in vitro conditions with histological techniques. In this experiment, the drugs coarsely coated the guts' surface without outlining details or protruding into clefts. The resistance of the layers to rinsing is slightly different. None of the substances was able to protrude between the microvilli. Best intrusion was shown by pectin. The transfer of the experimental results to in vivo conditions is discussed.