Anna Winiarska-Mieczan

Hematological and serum biochemical parameters of blood in adolescent rats and histomorphological changes in the jejunal epithelium and liver after chronic exposure to cadmium and lead in the case of supplementation with green tea vs black, red or white tea

Rats were used to check whether regular consumption of black, red, or white tea would have a protective effect similar to the action of green tea on the intestine and liver in the case of exposure to Cd and Pb within the limits of human environmental exposure to these elements. Rats at the age of 6 weeks were divided into the control and four groups supplemented with green (GT), black (BT), red (RT), or white (WT) tea extracts. Their diet (except the control) was mixed with 7 mg Cd/kg and 50mg Pb/kg. The experiment lasted 12 weeks. The effects of administration of tea in Cd- and Pb-poisoned rats on plasma biochemical parameters and the jejunal epithelium and liver were determined. The highest body mass was found in the GT group. The highest hemoglobin and Fe concentrations were in the control and GT groups. The highest activity of AST was in groups poisoned with Cd and Pb independently on supplementation. The highest ALT activity was in BT and RT groups with lower content of polifenoles. Pb and Cd disturbed the liver leading to necrosis and fatty degenerative changes, and a loss of normal architecture of the hepatocytes. Rats from the GT group had the highest cell proliferation rate in intestinal glands and the largest absorptive surface. Black, red, and white tea exerted a varied impact on the histological structure and innervation of the small intestine wall as well as on the absorptive function of small intestine mucosa in rats poisoned with Pb and Cd than green tea. On the other hand, taking into account the number of apoptotic cells, the effect of the teas was the same. Moreover, it is clear that long term exposure to Cd and Pb contamination causes toxic effect in the liver.

Effect of copper glycinate chelate on biomechanical, morphometric and chemical properties of chicken femur

Abstract The effect of Cu in the form of glycinate chelate, added to chicken feed mixtures, on biomechanical, morphometric and chemical parameters of chicken femur bones was evaluated at 6 weeks of age. Three hundred one-day-old Ross 308 male chicks were divided into 6 groups each in 5 repetitions of 10 chicks. The basal feed mixtures contained: starter 6.1 mg·kg-1 Cu, grower 6.21 mg·kg-1 Cu, finisher 5.91 mg·kg-1 Cu. In the experiment 8, 4 or 2 mg·kg-1 of copper were added to the premix (containing no Cu) in the form of copper sulfate (S-Cu) or as copper glycinate chelate (Gly-Cu). The highest cortical index and maximum elastic strength towards bone weight were observed when S-Cu was added to the mixture at 25% of the requirement. Higher values of the maximum elastic strength were recorded in groups receiving 100% and 50% Gly-Cu compared to the group fed with 100% and 25% S-Cu. In chickens receiving Gly-Cu significantly higher Ix values were recorded in comparison with the group receiving 50% S-Cu. As an alternative to iron sulfate Ross 308 broiler chickens can be fed with Fe in the form of copper glycinate chelate. The use of chelate in the amount limited to 10 or 20 mg·kg-1 did not result in worse physicochemical, strength and morphometric parameters of chicken femurs compared to the recommended dose (40 mg·kg-1).

The lack of protective effects of tea supplementation on liver and jejunal epithelium in adult rats exposed to cadmium and lead.

Adult rats at the age of 12 weeks were divided into the control group and groups supplemented with green (GT), black (BT), red (RT), or white (WT) tea extracts. The diet (except that for the control) was mixed with 7 mg Cd/kg and 50 mg Pb/kg. The experiment lasted 12 weeks. Basal haematology and plasma biochemical parameters as well as the histomorphometrical parameters of jejunal epithelium and liver were determined. The lowest body mass was found in the RT and WT groups. Some functional (increased plasma ALT and AST, and the de Ritis coefficient) and structural changes in the liver (slight fatty degenerative changes, an increase in the intercellular space) were evident irrespective of the type of tea in the Cd and Pb poisoned rats. This toxic effect was visible especially in rats drinking black or red tea. However, the rats had no elevated LDH and ALT activities. The highest content of Cd and Pb in the liver and blood plasma was found in rats drinking red tea. Based on the results obtained, it is clear that long-term exposure of adult rats with a mature intestinal barrier to Cd and Pb contamination, under higher exposure conditions than the current estimates of weekly exposure of the general population to Cd and Pb through diet, causes a toxic effect, especially in the liver, and can change the structure of intestinal mucosa, irrespective of tea administration.

Alteration in bone geometric and mechanical properties, histomorphometrical parameters of trabecular bone, articular cartilage, and growth plate in adolescent rats after chronic co-exposure to cadmium and lead in the case of supplementation with green, black, red and white tea.

Adolescent male Wistar rats were used to check whether regular consumption of black, red, white, or green tea would have a protective effect on femur development during 12-week exposure to Cd and Pb (7mg Cd and 50mg Pb in 1kg of the diet). The animals were randomly divided (n=12) into a positive control (without Cd, Pb and teas), a negative control group (Cd and Pb), and groups supplemented additionally with green (GT), black (BT), red (RT), and white tea (WT). Heavy metals reduced the geometric and densitometric parameters and the total thickness of articular cartilage irrespective of tea administration and influenced mechanical endurance, growth plate thickness, and trabecular histomorphometry depending on the tea type. It is difficult to indicate which tea has the best protective effects on bone and hyaline cartilage against heavy metal action.

The potential protective effect of green, black, red and white tea infusions against adverse effect of cadmium and lead during chronic exposure - A rat model study.

The protective effect of green (GT), black (BT), red (RT) and white (WT) tea infusions on the lungs, brains, hearts, livers and kidneys of adult Wistar rats exposed to Cd (7 mg/kg) and Pb (50 m/kg) was studied. The degree of reduction in the absorption of Cd and Pb in the organs compared to control group and the activity of SOD, CAT and GPx as well as GSH level was evaluated. It was determined that tea significant reduced the accumulation of Cd in the tissues. A significant reduction in the accumulation of Pb was recorded in the brain (WT), liver (GT, WT) and kidneys (BT, GT, RT, WT). A significant increase was observed in the activity of SOD, CAT and GPx in the organs of all rats from tea groups. It was found that the results obtained in rats receiving black, red and white tea were overall not worse than those recorded for rats receiving green tea. The obtained results suggest that drinking tea could be an effective method of reducing the adverse effect of environmental Cd and Pb pollution on the human body.

Cumulative rate and distribution of Cd and Pb in the organs of adult male Wistar rats during oral exposure.

The degree of accumulation of Cd and Pb in the brains, spleens, lungs, hearts, livers and kidneys of adult Wistar rats was compared both for separate (Cd or Pb) and combined (Cd+Pb) oral exposure. In addition, the metals were administered either with liquids or with solid feed. Rats were exposed to low doses of metals (7mg Cd and 50mg Pb/kg feed or L of distilled water) over 6 or 12 weeks. In total the organs of rats accumulated about 0.3-0.5% Cd and 0.4-0.6% Pb supplied with food or drink. The presented studies demonstrated that the distribution of Cd and Pb in the organs is affected by: the type of exposure (separate or combined), the source of metals (feed or drinks) and the duration of exposure. It was found that simultaneous exposure to low doses of Cd and Pb supplied with food is much more hazardous than exposure to such metals supplied with water.

The effect of tannic acid on the bone tissue of adult male Wistar rats exposed to cadmium and lead

Toxic elements such as cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) accumulate to the largest extent in bones. Rats at the age of 12 weeks were used to check whether tannic acid (TA) at the concentration of 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%. 2.0% or 2.5% would have a protective effect on the structure and properties of bones in the case of exposure to Cd and Pb (diet: 7mg Cd/kg and 50mg Pb/kg) for 12 weeks. The effects of administration of TA in Cd- and Pb-poisoned rats on bone mechanical and geometric properties, trabecular histomorphometry as well as the morphology of articular and growth cartilages were determined. All the rats co-exposured to Cd and Pb had enhanced heavy metals concentration in blood plasma and bone and reduced bone Ca content irrespective of the tannic acid administration. Heave metals given to adult rats did not influence the morphology and geometry of the femur, but reduced the mechanical endurance and histomorphometric parameters of trabecular bone irrespective of the treatment. A diet rich in TA improved articular cartilage and growth plate constituents in heavy metal-poisoned rats, as indicated by the measurement of the thickness of particular zones. It seems that a use of alimentary TA supplementation in adult rats can counteract, in a dose-dependent manner, only some of the destructive changes evoked by Cd and Pb excess.

Determining the content of lead and cadmium in infant food from the Polish market

The present study aimed to analyse the toxic metals in the baby fruit and vegetable desserts, juices and dinners available on the Polish market, and find that these products a less are safe for infants. The average daily intake of cadmium and lead found in one jar of dessert, one bottle of juice and one jar of baby dinner is, respectively, 0.20 μg (2% of PTDI) and 0.82 μg (2.2% of PTDI), 0.15 μg (2% of PTDI) and 4.86 μg (13.6% of PTDI), and 0.98 μg (10% of PTDI) and 2.36 μg (6.7% of PTDI). It was confirmed that all the examined baby food met the requirements regarding lead and cadmium contamination, and the obtained results were lower than the maximum acceptable level of the contamination with these metals. It may be assumed that fruit and vegetable products available on the Polish market are safe for infants. However, in some products, the levels of cadmium and lead were high.

Effects of feed supplementation with glycine chelate and iron sulfate on selected parameters of cell-mediated immune response in broiler chickens

Because little is known about the impact of chelated (Fe-Gly, Fe-Gly+F) and inorganic (FeSO4, FeSO4+F) iron products on immune response parameters in broiler chickens, the objective of the study was to determine the effects of inorganic and organic forms of iron on selected parameters of the cell-mediated immune response in broiler chickens by assessing the percentage of CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+), CD25(+), and MHC Class II lymphocytes, as well as the CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and IL-2 concentration in the peripheral blood. The experiments were conducted using 50day-old Ross 308 roosters. The test material was peripheral blood. Flow cytometry was used to determine selected cell-mediated immune response parameters. The results obtained indicate that the use of iron chelates in the diet of broiler chickens may stimulate cellular defense mechanisms. As a result of the experiment an increase was observed in the percentage of Th1, mainly T CD4(+) and T CD8(+). It was also noted that application of chelated iron can increase production of T CD8(+) cytotoxic cells and IL-2, which promotes the bodys natural response to developing inflammation. There were no changes in T CD4(+), T CD8(+), T CD25(+) or MHC II lymphocyte subpopulations in the chickens following application of the inorganic form of iron.

Content of cadmium and lead in raw, fried and baked commercial frozen fishery products consumed in Poland.

BACKGROUND The study aimed to verify whether the consumption of frozen fishery products was safe in terms of Cd and Pb content. The study material was 31 frozen fishery products (15 breaded products and 16 fillets). Immediately before the analyses the products were subject to culinary treatment according to the recommendations of the producer: fried in colza oil or baked in a gas oven. The level of Cd and Pb was determined using the GF AAS method. RESULTS The analysed frozen products contained on average 14.0 µg Cd kg-1 and 18.5 µg Pb kg-1 . Compared to raw products, baked fish contained 56% more Cd and 72% more Pb, whereas fried fish contained 16% more Cd and 15% more Pb. Compared to fried products, baked fish contained 34% more Cd and 49% more Pb. CONCLUSION The content of Cd and Pb in the products did not exceed the acceptable standard. However, it cannot be clearly stated which method of culinary treatment of frozen fishery products is the best with regard to the level of Cd and Pb in the final products.