Effects of Selenium and Zinc on the Toxicity of Cadmium in Rat

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the vairous change in the toxicity of cadmium by the simultaneous administration of selenium and zinc, which have been reported to change -the toxicity of cadmium through the interaction with cadmium, to rat. For the experiment, 42 rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were used. The experimental groups were divided into 6 groups: a control group, a cadmium (100ppm) alone treatment group, a cadmium (100ppm) and zinc (100ppm) combined treatment group, and three cadmium (100ppm), zinc (100ppm) and selenium (1, 4, and 8ppm) combined treatment groups. The rats were allocated seven to each group and observed for seven weeks. The results of experiment are as follows: 1. The food consumptions of each group were reduced, compared with a control group, especially, in a cadmium and zinc combined treatment group and a cadmium $\cdot$ zinc and selenium(1ppm) combined treatment group to the significant level compared with a control group (p < 0.05). The water consumptions of each group were reduced to the very significant level compared with a control group (p < 0.01). The feed efficiencies of each group were lower than a control group, and among them the highest group was cadmium $\cdot$ zinc and selenium (8ppm) combined treatment group as 90% of a control group. 2. In all groups, the weight gains were highest in the second week and the total weight gains were reduced to the very significant level compared with a control group (p < 0.01). 3. In all groups, the relative weights of liver were reduced, compared with a control group, especially, a cadmium alone treatment group was reduced to the significant level (p < 0.05). The relative weight of kidney was high to the significant level in a cadmium alone treatment group (p < 0.05) compared with a control group. In all groups, the relative weights of testis were reduced, compared with a control group, but the levels were not significant. 4. The accumulation of cadmium was highest in the kidney and the order of height was in liver, testis and blood, respectively. In all groups, the amount of cadmium accumulation was high to the very significant level compared with a control group (p < 0.01). In liver, the amount of acdmium accumulation in. a cadmium alone treatment group was high to the significant level compared with a cadmium $\cdot$ zinc and selenium (8ppm) combined treatment group (p < 0.05), and in kidney, the amount of cadmium accumulation in a cadmium alone tretment group was high to the very significant level compared with the cadmium $\cdot$ zinc and selenium (4, 8ppm) combined treatment groups (p < 0.01). However, in testis, among the treatment groups the level was not significant and in blood, a cadmium alone treatment group was low to the significant level compared with the cadmium $\cdot$ zinc and selenium (4, 8ppm) combined treatment groups (p < 0.05). 5. According to the histopathological finding on the testis, some of the seminiferous tubules of a group treated with cadmium alone showed severe necrosis and atrophy. But the testis of cadmium $\cdot$ zinc and selenium (8ppm) combined treatment group was similar to that of a control group. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the repeated simultaneous oral administration of large doses of selenium with the cadmium produces the partial amelioration of cadmium toxicity, whereas zinc does not.