Comparative effects of three dithiocarbamates on tissue distribution and excretion of cadmium in mice

The effects of sodium N-benzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (BGD), sodium N-p-hydroxymethylbenzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (HBGD), and sodium N-p-carboxybenzyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (CBGD), which were newly synthesized, on the distribution and excretion of cadmium were compared in mice exposed to cadmium. Mice were injected with 109CdCl2 (1 mg Cd/kg and 74 KBq of 109Cd/one animal) and 30 min or 24 h later, they were injected with the dithiocarbamates (400 mumols/kg). At 30 min after treatment with cadmium, these chelating agents significantly enhanced the biliary excretion of cadmium, and HBGD and CBGD significantly increased the urinary excretion of the metal. At 24 h after cadmium injection, BGD and HBGD significantly increased the biliary excretion of cadmium and HBGD was the most effective on the biliary excretion of the metal. These chelating agents were effective in mobilizing cadmium from the liver and kidney at 30 min after cadmium treatment. HBGD showed the largest effectiveness on the depression of cadmium contents in the liver and kidney. At 24 h after cadmium treatment, only HBGD among these chelating agents significantly reduced the cadmium contents in the liver and kidney. These results show that the injection of HBGD at both 30 min and 24 h after cadmium treatment can much more effectively mobilize cadmium from the body mainly through the bile without redistribution of cadmium to other tissues, such as brain, testes, and heart, than injection of BGD and CBGD.