Protective effects of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) on cadmium (Cd) toxicity in the liver of the rat: effects on the oxidative stress.

Cadmium (Cd) is a very harmful environmental pollutant that transfers between various levels of the food chain. To study the protective effect of Se and Zn on Cd-induced oxidative stress in livers, male rats received either, tap water, Cd, Cd+Zn, Cd+Se or Cd+Zn+Se in their drinking water, for 35 days. The activities of total superoxide dismutase (SOD), copper, zinc-superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the ratio of CuZn SOD to GPx activity, were determined in the liver. Exposure to Cd lowered total SOD, CuZn SOD, GPx and CAT activities, while it increased MDA level and the ratio of CuZn SOD to GPx activity, in the organ studied. With Se or Zn administration during exposure to Cd, only partial corrective effects on Cd-induced oxidative stress in the liver have been observed, while Se and Zn together assured a more efficient protection of the organ against the observed oxidative stress.