Effectiveness of dietary iron and ascorbic acid in the prevention and cure of moderately long-term lead toxicity in rats.

The protective and curative effects of high levels of dietary iron and ascorbic acid on moderately long-term toxicity in rats were examined. In rats fed a diet containing 500 ppm of lead for 56 days, growth retardation, reduction of food consumption, anemia, hypertrophy of the kidney and accumulation of lead in the bone and kidney were observed, however, activities of alkaline phosphatase and GOT in the plasma did not change. Addition of 400 ppm of iron and 1% of ascorbic acid to the lead containing diet prevented the growth depression, reduction of food consumption, anemia and decreased the accumulation of lead in tissues. When these compounds were added to the lead containing diet for 18 days after feeding the lead diet alone for 38 days, almost no curative effects on lead toxicity were observed. In contrast to cadmium toxicity, dietary iron and ascorbic acid have no curative effect on established lead toxicity.