Estimation of absorbed cadmium in tissues of male and female albino rats through different routes of administration

  • CR Nwokocha
  • MI Nwokocha
  • DU Owu
  • E Edidjana
  • N Nwogbo
  • U Ekpo
  • CS Ufearo

Abstract

The resultant effects of cadmium exposure are seen in almost all the systems of the body, however, this study is designed to quantify its accumulation in tissues of animals exposed to cadmium. The rats were divided into two distinct groups of males and females, which were then divided into three groups, each for the monitoring of exposure. Group 1 served as control male and female and received normal rat chow and tap water. Group 2 males and females were treated with 5 mg/kg body weight of cadmium chloride (Cd) intraperitoneally for eight days while Group 3 males and females rats received 100 ppm of Cd in drinking water for 18 days. The concentrations of cadmium were analyzed in tissues (lung, stomach, kidney, heart, spleen, blood) by AAS. There were significant (P<0.05) increase in Cd (ppm) accumulation in males compared with females lungs (2.253 ± 1.47 vs 0.317 ± 0.001), stomach (0.187 ± 0.094 vs 0.045 ± 0.032) and blood (0.070 ± 0.001 vs 0.001±0.001) when Cd was administered intraperitoneally. Following oral administration, there were significant (P<0.05) difference in Cd (ppm) content between males and females (kidney (0.506 ± 0.074 vs 0.748 ± 0.147), stomach (0.045 ± 0.020 vs 0.001±0.001) and blood (1.126 ± 0.001 vs 0.114 ±0.001). Our results suggest that Cd accumulation in the various organs was sex and route of exposure-dependent in rats.

Keywords: Cadmium, Heavy metals, Organs, Route of administration, Sex

Nig. J. Physiol. Sci. 26(June 2011) 097 – 101

Author Biographies

CR Nwokocha
Dept. of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, West Indies
MI Nwokocha
Dept. of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, West Indies
DU Owu
Dept. of Basic Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, West Indies
E Edidjana
Madonna University, Elele, Nigeria
N Nwogbo
Madonna University, Elele, Nigeria
U Ekpo
Madonna University, Elele, Nigeria
CS Ufearo
Dept. of Human Physiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nigeria
Published
2013-01-27
Section
Articles

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