Renal toxicity of heavy metals (cadmium and mercury) and their amelioration with ascorbic acid in rabbits

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2019-02, Vol.26 (4), p.3909-3920
• Main Authors: Ali, Shaukat, Hussain, Sidra, Khan, Rida, Mumtaz, Shumaila, Ashraf, Nasra, Andleeb, Saiqa, Shakir, Hafiz Abdullah, Tahir, Hafiz Muhammad, Khan, Muhammad Khalil Ahmad, Ulhaq, Mazhar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Alkaline phosphatase; Alkaline Phosphatase - blood; Animals; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Aquatic Pollution; Ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Atomic absorption analysis; Bioaccumulation; Biochemistry; Body weight; Cadmium; Cadmium - pharmacokinetics; Cadmium - toxicity; Cadmium chloride; Cadmium Chloride - administration & dosage; Cadmium Chloride - toxicity; Chloride; Creatinine; Creatinine - blood; Cystatin C; Cystatin C - blood; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Environmental Pollutants - toxicity; Environmental science; Heavy metals; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; Kidneys; Mercuric chloride; Mercuric Chloride - administration & dosage; Mercuric Chloride - toxicity; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Mercury - pharmacokinetics; Mercury - toxicity; Mercury compounds; Metals; Oral administration; Parameters; Pollutants; Protective Agents - pharmacology; Rabbits; Research Article; Spectral analysis; Toxicity; Toxicology; Uric acid; Uric Acid - blood; Vitamin C; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-3819-8

Cadmium and mercury are among the most toxic and dangerous environmental pollutants that may cause fatal implications. Vitamin C is an important chain-breaking antioxidant and enzyme co-factor against heavy metals. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, and their co-administration on biochemical parameters of blood serum and metal bioaccumulation in kidneys and also to elucidate the protective effect of vitamin C in rabbits against these metals. In the current research, cadmium chloride (1.5 mg/kg), mercuric chloride(1.2 mg/kg), and vitamin C (150 mg/kg of body weight) were orally administered to eight treatment groups of the rabbits (1, control; 2, vitamin; 3, CdCl 2 ; 4, HgCl 2 ; 5, vitamin + CdCl 2 ; 6, vitamin + HgCl 2 ; 7, CdCl 2 + HgCl 2 , and 8, vitamin + CdCl 2 + HgCl 2 ). After the biometric measurements of all experimental rabbits, biochemical parameters viz. creatinine, cystatin C, uric acid, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and metal bioaccumulation were determined using commercially available kits and atomic absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. The levels of creatinine (28.3 ± 1.1 μmol/l), cystatin C (1932.5 ± 38.5 ηg/ml), uric acid (4.8 ± 0.1 mg/day), and ALP (51.6 ± 1.1 IU/l) were significantly ( P