CONCOMITANT INFLUENCE OF HEAVY METAL INTOXICATION ON SIZE OF ORGANS AND BODY WEIGHT IN ALBINO RATS

Being exposed to a number of heavy metals in the environment, humans are suffering from various health problems. Cadmium and arsenic are both priority hazardous substances and carcinogens. Environmental co-exposure to these heavy metals is also an important consideration and most experiments with laboratory animals investigate only one heavy metal. In the present study albino rats were exposed to both the heavy metals alone and in combination in 5 groups and the 6^th group was of control. Animals were treated for 30 days and 60 days with the lower doses of NaAsO₂ (4.3 mg/ks b. wt.) in group B and CdCl₂ (2.6 mg/kg b. wt.) in group D and higher dose of NaAsO₂ (8.6 mg/ks b. wt.) in group C and CdCl₂ (5.2 mg/kg b. wt.) in group E. A combination dose of CdCl₂ (2.6 mg/kg b. wt.) and NaAsO₂ (4.3 mg/ks b. wt.) was given to another group F of experimental animals. In 30 days, intoxicated animal groups the weights of the kidney, brain and heart increased and a significant increase in liver and spleen occurred both by arsenic and cadmium. Although the high dose of arsenic decreased the relative heart weight but the combination dose showed a significant increase in weight of all the organs. In 60 days treated groups both the heavy metals showed a reduced effect on heart weight, but the increase was observed in the brain, liver and spleen and kidney weight while combination dose showed a significant increase in the relative weight of spleen and liver. Bodyweight gain was reduced in 60 days of treated groups.