RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of copper, zinc and selenium levels in rat tissues after long-term oral administration of Realgar. METHODS: Rats were given Realgar with dosage of 50, 150, 450 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 5 weeks, and the concentrations of copper, zinc and selenium in different rat tissues as well as the contents of metallothionein in rat liver and kidney were determined with atomic absorption and hydride generation-atomic fluorescent technique. The total amount of copper excreted from feces and urine of each rat 5 days before the rat was killed was also measured. RESULTS: No significant changes of levels of copper, zinc and selenium in rat tissues were found after administration of low and middle dosages of Realgar. But higher dosage (450 mg.kg-1.d-1) of Realgar administration could induce a small but significant decrease of zinc concentration in hearts and a increase of copper contents in spleen and tibia, as well as twice more copper concentration of kidney. CONCLUSION: Copper deposit in kidney was the most significant change found among the trace elements levels in rat tissues, and this might be one of the mechanisms for kidney toxicity of Realgar.