The Effect of Long-Term Supplemental Dietary Cadmium on Lipid Peroxidation and the Antioxidant System in the Liver and Kidneys of Rabbits

Authors: EBRU BEYTUT, MESUT AKSAKAL

Abstract: We investigated the effects of chronic exposure to dietary cadmium (Cd) on the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) associated with activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and the catalase (CAT) enzyme in the liver and kidneys of rabbits. Twenty 10-month-old clinically healthy New Zealand white rabbits (10/group) of 3545 ± 250 g average body weight were used. The control group was allowed to take food and tap water ad libitum, while the experimental group was given tap water containing 200 ppm CdCl_2/L for 28 weeks. Lipid peroxidation contents increased significantly in the liver (p < 0.001) and kidneys (p < 0.005) of Cd-treated rabbits. Glutathione levels decreased significantly in both the liver (p < 0.001) and the kidneys (p < 0.005) of the experimental group. Cadmium treatment caused a significant decrease in the activities of GSH-Px and CAT in the liver (p < 0.001, p < 0.01) and kidneys (p < 0.005, p < 0.1) of the rabbits. These results indicated that a Cd-induced increase in LPO was associated with reductions in GSH-Px and CAT enzyme activities, and in GSH levels in the liver and kidneys of rabbits.

Keywords: Cadmium, Lipid peroxidation, Glutathione peroxidase, Catalase, Glutathione, Rabbit

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