Cadmium toxicity and bioantioxidants: status of vitamin E and ascorbic acid of selected organs in rat.

Effects of i.p. administered cadmium acetate (Cd, 0.4 mg/kg) was studied on the levels of vitamin E and ascorbic acid in different brain regions, liver, kidney, testis, RBC and plasma at 15, 30 and 60 days intervals in male albino rats (45 +/- 5 g). Exposure to Cd for 15 days decreased the levels of vitamin E significantly in the liver and testis only, while 30 days of treatment resulted in a significant decline in cerebellum, cerebral cortex, corpus striatum, mid-brain + hypothalamus, and plasma. Cadmium administration for 60 days caused a decrease in vitamin E in all tissues. Furthermore, a duration-dependent decrease in hepatic ascorbic acid levels was noticed. The implications of these results are discussed.