COMPARATIVE TOXICITY OF CADMIUM IN LIVER AND TESTES OF ALBINO MICE FOLLOWING CHRONIC EXPSOURE
SUMAN SHARMA *
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA-147 002
SANDEEP KAUR *
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, PUNJABI UNIVERSITY, PATIALA-147 002
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental and industrial pollutant that adversely affects human and animal health. This study was carried out to investigate the toxic effects of Cd on liver and testis of albino mice. Cadmium administration led to significant (P<0.001) reduction in weight of liver and testes. Histopathological analysis in liver revealed oedema, vacuolation, lymphocytic infilteration and hyperaemia, numerous pyknotic, degenerative and binucleated nuclei, giant cell and kupffer cells at the sites of damage were also visible. Alterations in testA were in the form of degenerated germinal layer, almost complete loss of spermatogenic activity and leydig cell lysis. In the present study testis were found to be more sensitive to Cd than liver.
Keywords: Cadmium, histopathology, liver and testis