Biogenic amines and some metals in brain of cadmium-exposed diabetic rats.

Diabetic rats (alloxan diabetes) were exposed to cadmium (2 mg kg-1 i.p.) daily for 21 days to investigate the levels of blood glucose, biogenic amines and iron, copper, zinc and cadmium in the brain. Cadmium exposure to diabetic rats produced a significant exacerbation in the hyperglycemic effect and accumulation of cadmium in the blood compared with that observed after diabetes or cadmium exposure alone. The elevation in the levels of brain dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine were also more pronounced in cadmium-exposed diabetic rats compared with either cadmium exposure or diabetes alone. Cadmium exposure to diabetic rats also produced significant changes in the concentrations of copper in the blood. These results indicated enhanced cadmium toxicity in diabetic rats.