Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

In this study, the median lethal dose (LD50) of cadmium sulfate was determined firstly. Then, the animals were classified at the start of the experiment, into two groups; a control (contains 15 rats) and an intoxicated one (contains 45 rats), which received drinking water contains 30 ppm cadmium for 10 weeks. At the end of the 6th week of the experiment, the intoxicated group was subdivided equally into three groups. The second and third groups respectively were injected intraperitoneally with 50 mg/kg/day macroparticles or nanoparticles CaNa₂EDTA for 4 courses (4 days each) with an interval of 3 days between the courses. Results showed that, the estimated median lethal dose (LD50) of cadmium sulfate for adult female rats was 240 mg/kg. Cadmium significantly reduced body weight gain and food consumption and induced a marked depression. Cadmium also induced histopathological changes in liver, kidney and bones and decreased bone mineralization as revealed by X-ray examination. Serum urea and creatinine concentrations were significantly increased by cadmium. Concentrations of cadmium and metallothionein in serum and urine were significantly increased in cadmium-intoxicated rats. Cellular immune response (as determined by the total and differential leucocytic counts, the phagocytic activity of neutrophils, lymphocytes transformation and serum lysozyme activity) were significantly affected. Humoral immune response as estimated by the measurement of electrophoresis pattern of serum proteins and cytokines production (serum IL-2 and IL-6) was significantly decreased by cadmium

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