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Effects of Humic Acids in Chronic Lead Poisoning

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Abstract

Chronic exposure to lead causes disruption to energy production mechanisms and tissue damage, in particular through its binding to thiol groups and competition for zinc binding sites. We investigated the possibility of preventing the consequences of chronic lead poisoning by administration of three different doses of humic acids (HAs) into feed with the aim of establishing an effective HA dose. During the 10-week experiment, a sub-lethal dose of lead acetate was given to rats during the first 5 weeks, with continuous administration of HA over 10 weeks. Measurements were taken to determine the content of the metals Pb, Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn; the metalloid Se; and selected antioxidant markers in the heart, liver, kidney and plasma after the first, fifth and tenth weeks of experiment. The administration of lead and HAs clearly affects the redistribution of the elements and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes. This fact was particularly highlighted in the lead-only group as, within the experiment, significantly higher Pb concentrations were found only in the plasma of this group. However, in the group with 1% HA administered with lead, we observed a rise in Zn concentrations in the organs and the deposition of Fe into the liver. Decreased glutathione reductase activity in the plasma and balanced reduced glutathione concentrations indicated sufficient efficiency of redox reactions. SOD activities were among those affected most strongly, with only the 1% HA group showing no effect on heavy metal redistribution as a result of HA administration.

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Acknowledgements

The study was supported by VEGA 1/1236/12 and 1/0782/15.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Tr. SNP 1, 040 66, Košice, Slovak Republic

    Janka Vašková, Klára Krempaská, Daniel Žatko, Gabriela Glinská & Ladislav Vaško

  2. Clinic for Ruminants, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81, Košice, Slovak Republic

    Pavol Mudroň

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  1. Janka Vašková
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  2. Klára Krempaská
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  3. Daniel Žatko
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Correspondence to Janka Vašková.

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Vašková, J., Krempaská, K., Žatko, D. et al. Effects of Humic Acids in Chronic Lead Poisoning. Biol Trace Elem Res 187, 230–242 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1375-1

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