Selenium and zinc supply: a probable therapy against cadmium oral toxicity
El Heni Jihen
Unité de Recherche: Eléments Traces, Radicaux Libres, Antioxydants, Pathologies Humaines et Environnement, Département de Biophysique, Faculté de Médecine de Monastir,
Tunisia
Abstract:
Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal which induces oxidative stress and interferes with essential elements. Interestingly, selenium and zinc are Cd antagonists and well established antioxidants; however, their co-effect during exposure to cadmium is not well studied. So we investigated whether selenium and zinc have synergetic actions against cadmium toxicity in vivo. Male rats received either cadmium, cadmium + zinc, cadmium + selenium, or cadmium + zinc + selenium in their drinking water, during 35 days. The liver and kidneys were then analysed. Cadmium induced oxidative stress and various histological damages. Zn and Se-Zn supplies increased Cd-retention moreover. Selenium did not influence Cd content nor the renal structural damage, while zinc completely prevented it. On the other hand, selenium or zinc partially alleviated the liver histopathology and cadmium-induced oxidative stress in the two organs. With selenium-zinc supply, the morphological damage had practically disappeared from the liver and kidneys. Also, the joint effect of selenium and zinc was more powerful in antagonizing cadmium-induced oxidative impair in the liver and kidneys than the effect of selenium or zinc alone. In conclusion, selenium and zinc can act in synergy during exposure to cadmium and can have an efficient protection against its toxicity.
