Study on Acute Injury Effects on Rats Caused by Short-term Oral Exposure to Cadmium

Objectives To study the acute injury effects of short-term oral exposure (14 or 28 days) to cadmium on rats.

Methods A total of 72 male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups, including a negative control group as well as 0.4, 0.8, 2.0, 5.0 and 12.5 mg/kg·d (cadmium) dose groups with 12 rats in each group. Rats were administered with different doses of cadmium chloride by gavage once a day for consecutive 28 days. Body weights were recorded and urine tests were carried out weekly. Six rats in each group were sacrificed in 14 days and 28 days after exposure. Blood samples were obtained to detect alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The liver, kidney, spleen, brain, and testis were collected and weighted respectively to calculate organ coefficients in addition to conducting pathological examination.

Results Compared with the negative control group, the body weight in the 5.0 and 12.5 mg/(kg·d) dose groups decreased with the increase of dosage (P < 0.01), the kidney coefficient of 12.5 mg/(kg·d) dose group was significantly decreased after 14 days (P < 0.01). The increase of serum ALT in 5.0 and 12.5 mg/(kg·d) dose groups after 28 days had statistical significance (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in urine test or histopathology between the experimental group and the negative control group (P>0.05).

Conclusions The result showed that the short term exposure to cadmium chloride had acute injury effects on rats to a certain degree.