Influence of cadmium ions on the reduced glutathione and lipid peroxidation in the liver and red blood cells of mice

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the influence of Cd on the reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation in liver and in red blood cells of mice. Ex­periments were done on outbred white laboratory mice using intraperitoneal injections of CdCl₂ solution (14 μmol Cd/kg body mass). The exposure-time was 2 h, 8 h, 24 h and 14 days. GSH was measured by reaction with 5,5’-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) to give a compound that absorbs 412  nm light wavelength. Lipid peroxides were es­tima­ted by measuring thiobarbituric-acid-reactive subs­tan­ces and were expressed as malondialdehyde (MDA). Our results in­dicate that at the 8^th h the content of GSH in mice liver sig­nificantly increased by 35%, meanwhile in red blood cells the content of GSH exceeded the control level at the 2^nd h, 8^th h and 24^th h by 19%, 35% and 18%, respectively. After 14 days of injections of CdCl₂ solution the content of GSH in liver and in red blood cells of mice decreased by 32% and 29% respectively, compared to the control group of mice. Fur­ther experiments were carried out in order to examine the influence of Cd ions on the content of MDA in liver and in red blood cells of mice after 2 h, 8 h, 24 h and 14 days of in­jections of CdCl₂ solution. The results indicate that at the 8^th h and 24^th h MDA content in mice liver was significant­ly increased by 236% and 118%, respectively. Meanwhile MDA content in mice red blood cells in all time points was at the control level.