Effect of dithiocarbamates and dithiocarbamate-induced cadmium mobilization on essential trace metal metabolism in the female rat.

The effects of two dithiocarbamates (both of which induce an increase in the excretion of cadmium) on the biliary and urinary excretion of the essential trace elements zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, and calcium have been examined in the female Sprague-Dawley rat to estimate what alterations in the excretion of essential metals accompanies the use of these compounds. The dithiocarbamates studied were sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) and sodium N-(4-methylbenzyl)-4-O-(beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-D-glucamine-N-carbod ithioate (MeBLDTC). DDTC induced a modest decrease in the biliary and urinary excretion of copper. The biliary excretion of both zinc and iron was significantly enhanced when MeBLDTC was given ip to normal rats, while those of copper, magnesium, and calcium were not significantly affected by this compound. DDTC treatment of normal female rats which had not been administered cadmium resulted in a slight decrease in the iron level of the liver. Treatment of rats with cadmium chloride resulted in a significant increase in the zinc and iron levels of the kidney, liver, and pancreas and an increase in the copper levels of the kidney and the liver. After a treatment with MeBLDTC, which reduced hepatic cadmium levels, only some of the levels of these essential metals were modified toward the levels found in untreated controls. Cadmium-loaded animals from which hepatic cadmium had been mobilized by MeBLDTC did not differ in renal or hepatic histopathology from the control (untreated) animals or from the group which had received cadmium only.