[The effect of cadmium poisoning on glucose transformation in skeletal muscles]

Long-time effects of Cd on carbohydrate metabolism were investigated in male Wistar rats. A dose of 0.3 mg/kg body weight of Cd in acetate form was subcutaneously injected to the experimental animals twice a week through 3 months. Selected enzyme activities of glycolysis as well as concentrations of glycogen, glucose, pyruvate, lactate, triglycerides, and free fatty acids (FFA) were determined in blood serum, muscles, liver, and fatty tissues. The experimental animals differed from the control group, in that Cd intoxication was followed by decline in the blood serum only of pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities. In the liver, however, all enzyme activities were reduced. Glycogen glucose and FFA levels were increased. Intramuscular alterations were found to depend on the fibre type. The severest disturbance of glycolysis was recordable from red long fibres, whereas rapid white fibres were more resistant. The change in FFA concentration may be interpreted as some compensation for the impairment of carbohydrate metabolism in the energy balance.