Histopathological and Ultrastructural Changes of Brain Induced by Lead and Cadmium Alone and Combined Exposure in Male Wistar Rats

Abstract

Lead and cadmium are most life threatening and well known central nervous system toxicants. This study was carried out to study histopathological and ultrastructural changes in brain induced by lead and cadmium alone and in combination in rats. Forty eight male albino Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups 12 rats in each group; group 1(control) was given deionized water, group 2 (lead group) was given water with lead acetate @ 30 mg/kg b.wt, group 3 (cadmium group) was given water with cadmium chloride @15 mg/kg b.wt, group 4 (combined group) was given water with both lead acetate@ 30 mg/kg b.wt and cadmium chloride @15 mg/kg b.wt for 28 days. The histopathological changes in brain revealed congested vessels, meningitis characterized by separation of meningial layer, hemorrhage underneath meningial layer and infiltration of MNCs and progressive degeneration of purkinje cells in cerebellum. Degenerative changes of nerve cell body and pockets of hemorrhage in cerebral cortex was noticed. The ultrastructural changes in brain showed degenerated neurons with thin myelin sheath, accumulation of granular electron dense material on sheath, microglial cells with abnormal nucleus and margination of chromatin, phagocytic cells with abnormal chromatin with swollen nucleus and increased perinuclear space.