EFFECT OF CADMIUM ON THE TOXICITY OF LANTHANONS IN MICE AND RATS

Prior administration of a sublethal dose of cadmium (1 mg/kg i.p.) produced a significant reduction in mortality of male mice and a trend to improve the impaired drug-metabolising capacity in male and female rats after a toxic dose of the light lanthanon, cerium (2 mg/kg i.v.). Gel filtration studies show that cerium binds to the high molecular weight protein fraction in rat liver cytosol despite cadmium pretreatment. This finding rules out the possibility that cadmium exerts its effect through the protective system of a newly synthesized metallothionein. © 1979.