Investigations of effects of magnesium, zinc and copper on cadmium excretion in rabbits

• Main Authors: Bulat Zorica, Đukić-Ćosić Danijela, Buha Aleksandra, Ćupić Vitomir, Pavlović Zoran, Matović Vesna
• Format: Article
• Language: srp
• Published: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Belgrade 2012-01-01
• Series: Veterinarski Glasnik
• Subjects: cadmium; bioelements; supplementation; urine; rabbit
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-2457/2012/0350-24571206395B.pdf

Cadmium (Cd) is today one of the most significant metal poisons, both in the area of professional as well as of eco toxicology. In the organism, cadmium has a harmful effect on the kidneys, liver, bones, testicles, etc., and, based on evidence in humans that it causes lung carcinoma, it has been placed in the first group of carcinogens. In spite of numerous data in literature on the harmful effects of cadmium, the interactions between cadmium and bioelements as a significant mechanism for cadmium toxicity have still not been sufficiently explained. Since the data so far point to a positive effect of supplementation with certain bioelements regarding toxicity and cadmium content in the organism, the objective of this work was to investigate the effect of increased simultaneous intake of magnesium, zinc and copper on urinary elimination of cadmium in rabbits exposed to cadmium. Rabbits were divided into two groups: Cd group - for a period of 28 days the animals received per os 10 mg Cd/kg b.m/day and Cd+(Mg+Zn+Cu) group - 10 mg Cd/kg b.m. + 40 mg Mg/kg b.m, 20 mg Zn/kg b.m. and 10 mg Cu/kg b.m/day. Daily urine was collected on days 0, 10, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, and 28 of the experiment. Following decomposition of urine samples with the help of concentrated HNO3 and HClO4 (4:1), the metal concentration was determined using the method of atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Supplementation with magnesium, zinc and copper did not result in significant changes in the elimination of cadmium through urine in animals poisoned with cadmium, in comparison with the animals that were administered only cadmium, while the concentration of all three applied bioelements in urine was significantly increased. It can be concluded that the simultaneous administration of increased doses of zinc, copper and magnesium does not have a positive effect on the elimination of cadmium in conditions when rabbits are poisoned with cadmium.