Antagonism between cadmium and magnesium: a possible role of magnesium in therapy of cadmium intoxication.

One of the important mechanisms of cadmium (Cd) toxicity is its interactions with bioelements, including magnesium (Mg). Exposure to Cd leads to disturbances in Mg metabolism in the organism, while Mg supplementation has an adverse effect on Cd absorption, accumulation and toxicity. According to the available results, which indicate a protective role of Mg against Cd toxicity, it remains to be seen whether magnesium may influence the important unsolved problem of Cd intoxication therapy. In this review, the interactions between the toxic metal Cd and the bioelement Mg are discussed on the basis of the available literature and our own results. We discuss these interactions mainly based on experimental data because data from human studies are scarce.

Effect of magnesium pretreatment on reduced glutathione levels in tissues of mice exposed to acute and subacute cadmium intoxication: a time course study.

The study was designed to investigate the role of magnesium (Mg) pretreatment on reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in kidney, liver and testis of mice intoxicated with cadmium (Cd). Animals were divided into four groups: I--controls, II--Cd group: mice intoxicated with Cd, III--Mg+Cd group: mice given Mg 1 h before Cd, and IV--Mg group: mice given only Mg. In acute time--response studies, the single oral dose of Cd was 20 mg Cd/kg b.w. and 40 mg Mg/kg b.w. GSH levels were determined after 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h. In subacute experiments, mice were given 10 mg Cd/kg b.w. orally every day and 20 mg Mg/kg b.w., and GSH content was determined in investigated organs after 1 and 2 weeks. Acute cadmium intoxication significantly decreased the GSH content in liver 4, 6 and 12 h after Cd administration and increased GSH in kidney after 12, 24 and 48 h, but did not cause significant GSH alterations in testis. Mg pretreatment reduced the observed changes of GSH content in kidney and liver. Subacute Cd intoxication induced diminished renal GSH levels compared with the controls while the increased GSH levels were observed in liver and testes after 2 weeks Cd treatment. Mg pretreatment was efficient in restoring renal and testis GSH levels towards the control group, but had no effect on hepatic GSH.